Tale of Two Destinies
by Ryrahd
Summary: ExT. Dropped E & T are transported to a mystical realm where they face many challenges, including elves, monsters, civil war and secretly harboured feelings. Mayhem ensues.
1. Anticipating the Inevitable

A/N: This is my first story. I'm still not certain whether I should continue with this idea, but I guess I'll give it a shot. If anybody likes this idea 'o mine, just review and tell me whether I SHOULD continue. 

Disclaimers: I own nothing, though I would give an arm and a leg for Eriol. 

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Tale of Two Destinies

Part I: Prelude: Anticipation of the Inevitable 

"AAAAHHHHHHHHH" 

A horrified screech filled the silence of the Daidouji Manor. This was followed by a certain dark-haired mistress' painful plunge to the floor. The said girl was lying in a tangled heap on the ground, her warm comforters and billowy nightgown twisting about her form. 

Once regaining the sense of whereabouts (her own room), the girl, Daidouji Tomoyo, sighed heavily and lifted her wary limbs to her comfortable bed. She pulled the comforter snugly about her, seeking its warmth, and tried to get back to peaceful slumber. It evaded her though, for she could not rid herself of the appalling image that caused her sudden state of sleeplessness. 

She shuddered.

Hiiragizawa Eriol kissing her.

Yuck! She shuddered again and forced her sleep-derived mind to think happy thoughts. Like bunnies in a sunny meadow, and her precious Sakura-chan in a pretty pink ensemble, anything but the blue-eyed, raven-haired, bishounen that plagued her previous dream. 

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On the other side of town, deep in the Hiiragizawa Manor, the master of the house, one Hiiragizawa Eriol, was serenely curled on his side in blissful slumber. This was the cause of the girl's agitation at such an hour of night, and he wasn't even aware of the trouble he was eliciting to the poor girl. 

A contented -- if not slightly gleeful -- smile was plastered on the slumbering boy's face, and some time later, he was heard murmuring to himself amidst light giggles, "...Plum Blossoms...".

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One morning a couple of months later, in a sunlit classroom, the same Daidouji Tomoyo sat in her respectful chair, pondering her predicament.

She was dead.

All she needed now was a casket and a befitting epitaph. Once Eriol reached the classroom, he would certainly kill her. She gulped, fighting back the urge to leap out of her seat and try to hide behind the clothes rack. She further fidgeted with her math notebook, which was beginning to look battered at the corners from the constant contact with her trembling fingers. Unable to keep still, which was something new to the girl; she stood from her chair and began to pace the classroom with trepidation, which was also a new experience to her. 

She paced back and forth in the empty classroom, a look akin to one trapped animal plastered on her face. She looked at her watch, noting that she had approximately ten more minutes until the rest of the class started to file obediently in. And ten more minutes to remain alive. She pondered on the consequences of bolting out of the room, heading home to her room and the soft confines of the bed (which she had left very grudgingly). She could always feign sickness, she reasoned. 

Finding that the pacing did more agitating to her already dangerously barely sustainable nerves, Tomoyo opted to rather sit down and loose herself in mindless doodling. After what seemed like an hour (which really was a minute at most) of doing this, she gave up on that and heaved an exasperated sigh. She looked back to her watch: seven more minutes until the pupils filed in.

Since when did time move so slowly, she wondered on an offhand note.

Back to the issue at hand, what was she going to do once Eriol found her (should she decide on escape)? During the entire six years that Tomoyo knew Eriol, he has not once shown an act of violence towards her or anybody else. Despite all the vigorous provocations from Syaoran and herself, the ever-jovial boy's mood never dampened. Why was she so certain that this particular act of hers would cause what several other attempts could not? After all, she'd done worse things to him during their long time acquaintance.

He should have known her well by now to realise just how Evil she could be. Though she did not look it at first glance, Tomoyo was the Queen of Evil. Behind the pretty face lurked a creature closely resembling a power hungry minx. She waited until no one paid attention to her, and then, when certain that the blame would not be placed on her, she would put on her little horns (courtesy the Holly's Halloween Shoppe), took out her pitch fork (also courtesy said Shoppe) and started dancing around the bon fires, while her victims wailed in humiliation. 

One of these victims was her very own Sakura. Tomoyo, with a little magic help from Eriol, devised a plan to make Sakura admit her feelings for Syaoran (the local bishounen). The plan, no matter how ingenuous, back fired straight into Tomoyo's face, who after the incident needed counselling sessions. Tomoyo's genki friend though still managed to get together with Syaoran, much to the disappointment of Tomoyo. 

Tomoyo prided herself on her cool demeanour and the ability to hide behind her smiles. Always the picture of elegance and quiet by nature, Tomoyo made quite a stunning young lady. She was, unbeknownst to her, considered one of the most sought after girls in school. Tomoyo, however, wanted only to receive affection from her Sakura-chan. She hid this desire well within her mask and, to her knowledge, no one but herself and Eriol knew. 

Speaking of Eriol, it was all his fault for this predicament. If only he hadn't switched her favourite perfume to some fragrance closely resembling rotting eggs and salty fish. She had to get rid of a third of her wardrobe. Tomoyo would never look at eggs the same way again.

**__**

RIIIING!!

Startled, Tomoyo looked at her watch, noting with some surprise that her time was up. She sat rigidly in her seat as she watched her fellow classmates leisurely strut in, a few (mostly boys) greeting her with a casual wave, which earned them a nod and a polite smile. She watched as Syaoran walked over to his seat and greeted her with a warm, "Ohayo, Daidouji-san".

"Ohayo, Li-kun," she accosted in return. "Sakura-chan late again?" she asked teasingly.

At the mention of his girlfriend, Syaoran reddened slightly and simply nodded. Tomoyo smirked inwardly; she loved teasing the Chinese boy. His reactions towards Sakura have not changed even after so many years. She often wondered how the future Li Clan leader kept the severe nosebleeds to a minimum.

A perky voice interrupted her train of thought. Tomoyo watched a bit flabbergasted as the girl in question jovially ambled -- more like bounced -- toward them. Exhaling heavily, Sakura plopped into her seat and took out her books. Still not saying anything to her two companions, the cheerful girl grumbled what sounded suspiciously like curse. Sighing once again, Sakura got off her seat to turn around and plant a sweet kiss on her boyfriend's cheek, which caused him to blush uncontrollably. 

Still looking a bit puzzled, Tomoyo said, "Ohayo Sakura-chan. Is anything the matter, you seem a bit fatigued."

"No," the girl replied, "just worried about the math test." Sakura gave her friend and boyfriend cheeky smile at the doubtfulness mirrored on their faces. Typical Sakura behaviour. 

Her eyes turning misty, Tomoyo remembered a time when her precious Sakura would smile just for her and no one else. She missed those times, but she knew that like all the things in this realm, Sakura would one day grow up and find her true soul mate and leave her. Acceptance did not make it easier on the heartbroken Tomoyo; it was still painful for her to let her Sakura go. 

"Ohayo, Daidouji-san," a husky voice whispered in her ear, sending shivers of dread and pleasure running up and down her spine. She turned her head slightly, noting with some amazement that she did not pee her underpants. Right beside her, his face mere inches from her own, was Eriol smiling that boisterous smile of his. Tomoyo gulped with unease.

Tomoyo greeted him in return with a barely audible squeak. Something akin to fright crossed her features before she was able to regain her composure and ask in as blasé manner as possible, "Why Hiiragizawa-kun, is anything the matter, you seem preoccupied?"

She watched in satisfaction as mute astonishment crossed his beautiful face. Strike one for Tomoyo.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I need to speak to you about something," he answered, a deliberate smile on his lips, one at which Tomoyo cringed. Strike one for Eriol. That smile always reminded her of a panther stalking its prey. She better watch out before she was pounced on, she mentally told herself.

Tomoyo was about to reply to his request with an offhand excuse, but before she could utter even a syllable, Terada-sensei walked into the classroom demanding attention. Tomoyo sighed gratefully when the lesson started, saved by the teacher. She mentally patted herself on the head, _'Good job, Tomoyo! You only have to avoid Eriol for the rest of your life!' _she told herself mentally. 

A warm hand on her shoulder interrupted her victory celebration. She winced; the celebration was cut short by a note that somehow appeared in front of her. On a tangent note, she asked herself, _'How did he do that?' _She surreptitiously reached for the folded piece of paper, being careful not to be seen by the teacher, and glanced at its contents. 

It read:

__

Daidouji-san,

I must speak with you privately. Meet me by the cherry blossom tree at lunch.

H. E.

Curt and to the point, that was Eriol for you, authoritative yet not too demanding. Alrighty, so he wanted to speak with her *privately*, that was innocent enough. After a minute of debating Tomoyo decided to not give into his game just yet. Taking out a piece of paper, she wrote a note of her own, one that not so subtly declined his offer. 

That little problem done and over with, Tomoyo was about to return (or start) paying attention to her teacher when she discovered, much to her horror, yet another note on her desk. Opening it with slightly trembling digits, she read the message: Eriol requested he speak to her after school. Sighing, she came up with a good excuse not to come, choir practise, she decided. Which wasn't necessarily a lie, she really did want to go to the music room after school. 

Once making sure her message was delivered, she was about to return to the lesson when yet ANOTHER note appeared on her desk. Fighting back the first waves of agitation and the urge to bang her head on the desk, she unfolded the note.

__

Daidouji-san, 

I am disappointed to hear that you'll be busy after school, but what I want to talk to you about is rather urgent. I was wondering if you would grace me with your company after your choir practice. 

H. E.

'Persistent, isn't he?' she asked herself. Sighing in defeat, she wrote a reply, and in a rather un-lady like manner handed the note to him. 

"Ms. Daidouji, Mr. Hiiragizawa! Would it bother you ever so much if you honoured the rest of your class with your attention?" A harsh voice belonging to their teacher interrupted her fuming. "If you don't mind and stop your love note passing and return back to the lesson. See me after class." 

A couple of sniggers and catcalls followed this, and Tomoyo could not help but sink further into her seat, mortified. Great! She probably had detention now, she thought resentfully. This was all Hiiragizawa's fault. She knew he enjoyed making fun of her, and she'd be damned if he did not get what he deserved. 

(tbc)


	2. Hidden Path

A/N: I'm gonna stick with this further and see where this is going, but I'm not guaranteeing anything. I should have mentioned this earlier but the main characters (for the exception of a few) are 17. This is a very crappy chapter, hope you'll forgive me.

Disclaimers: If I owned anything of this sort, why would I write silly fanfiction about it?

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Part I: Prelude: The Hidden Path

As much as he hated being boastful, he had to admit he was _good_. Almost from the first moment he entered the classroom that morning, he could clearly sense a definite change in Tomoyo. He could practically smell it in the air. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on but was undeniably there. An air of panic? Fear?

He grinned, what could the fair Tomoyo be afraid of? He racked his mind and all the knowledge he acquired during both his lifetimes to solve this mystery, but this time (just like other countless times) he came up short. Well, he'd just have to find out, he resolved. 

He watched in satisfaction as Tomoyo squirmed under his scrutiny, and smirked once again. He enjoyed watching her nearly leap out of her seat when he made his presence know and enjoyed just as much when he was beginning to agitate her. Eriol felt like a kid at Christmas; he couldn't wait to get his present. 

Tomoyo was the most complex human he ever met. He knew she hid something behind that mask of hers, and he longed with all his heart to find out just what that something was. He was adamant to unravel the enigma that was Tomoyo, or he would die trying to do so anyway. What was even more unsettling, though, was the fact that Tomoyo could read him like a book. That was more or less the whole reason why they haven't killed each other yet. 

He forced his mind to focus on the lesson, but his eyes (despite all logic) strayed to the back of Tomoyo's head. He admired her from behind; the cascade of hair falling down her back, catching the rays of sun and glistening like silk. Eriol suddenly got the urge to touch those silky stands, run his hands through them and feel their softness against his skin. He fought down the urge, he knew quite well that that was something forbidden. 

He watched as her shoulders rose up and down with each breath she took, and he could, for a brief moment, imagine what it would be like to have her breath mingle with his own... Did she even know how beautiful she was?

Eriol shook his head at this sentiment; such thoughts were ludicrous and liable to get him in great trouble with Tomoyo. He sighed; turning to his attention back to the teacher (though not hearing anything coherent); he wondered what he would say to her after school. At least he had something to look for.

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Lunchtime went by uneventfully and at an unusually slow pace. Eriol was beginning to count the seconds until the end of the day when he saw Nakuru behind some bushes and decided to investigate. 

Sauntering over, he asked with amusement, "Touya Hunting? My, my Nakuru, I thought you had more sense than that." 

"No," his guardian replied with a scowl. "Touya's absent today. I'm trying to see what Yuki is up to." Nakuru added, glaring at him with unmistakable spite. The guardian chose that moment to escape and dashed behind the corner of the building, choosing to ignore the grin on Eriol's face. 

His fun spoiled, Eriol decided to see what his favourite couple was up to. He spotted them sitting underneath an apple tree, spoon feeding each other's lunch. He waited until a good moment (which was right about when their lips would touch) and jumped from the branch he was sitting on, scaring the wits out of the two. 

"Did you ever hear the story about the Prince of Acerbitas (1)?" He asked, the initiations of a grin playing on his lips. At the shakes of their heads, he continued. "Once upon a time, in a land long forgotten, there lived a boy. There was nothing wrong with the boy on the exterior, but on the inside he was suffering. He did not know why he was suffering; he did not know how to stop his agony, all he knew was the empty feeling inside him. The Prince put on a façade on his face, hoping to fool everyone. The boy hated his life, you see, he wanted to die: the pain was so strong. Whenever he would look at happy couples he would feel even worse; HE wanted to be happy, HE wanted to be loved and someone to love in return." 

Eriol paused; he looked in Sakura's direction, noting the sadness etched across her features. "Do you want to know what happened to him?" He asked, receiving an affirmative nod from both of them in response. 

"The Prince never found happiness. He sat by the window of his room, looking out to the world, hoping to find some answers. He refused to eat and sleep, and in time his body deteriorated into nothingness. His chambermaids found nothing but a pile of silver dust in the morning. The dust scattered on the wind and spread around the world. And sometimes, when the wind is strong and you are beside your one and only, you can hear a soft sigh in the air." He finished.

He noted that Sakura now had tears swelling in her eyes and Syaoran's were bulging out of his head. He smirked. He loved teasing them. Although he was the reincarnation of the strongest sorcerer on the face of the earth, and the wisdom of decades rested on his shoulders, he still loved teasing his little descendant and the Card Mistress. 

Just before the bell signalling the end of lunch went off, he checked the library to see if Tomoyo was there or not, like she said she would be. She was, her nose glued to the book. Eriol smiled; that made his day a little brighter. The rest of the day went as slowly as the first part of it, but as all things come to an end, so did the day. 

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Eriol waited for Tomoyo by the lockers, anticipation practically oozing out of him. Pretending to be digging in his locker for something, Eriol spied Tomoyo out of the corner of his eye. 

Just when Tomoyo thought that she would be let off the hook, Eriol looked up from whatever he was doing and took her hand. A bit startled, Tomoyo was about to make a run for it when he intertwined her elbow with his. 

"Shall we?" He asked while steering a stunned Tomoyo out of the school. He had a sudden urge to laugh when he saw her gulp visibly. 

"What did you want to talk to me about?" The girl asked hastily, feeling rather daring at the moment. 

"Well, you see --" he began. 

"I can explain!" Tomoyo interrupted him. "I just wanted to get back at you for that whole perfume thing. Pleasepleaseplease, don't kill me!"

At her outburst Eriol quirked one eyebrow. What was she talking about? Why would he want to kill her? Gods knew, he would gladly die for her!

At his confused look, Tomoyo nervously asked, "Didn't you see today's school newspaper?"

Eriol simply nodded at this; he did see. It surprised him at first that morning when he saw a group of giggling and gossiping girls point to him. Later it began to unnerve him as some brave souls dared to come and out right laugh at him. Once he asked a friend what that was about, his friend handed him the school newspaper. Astounded he read the front cover report (author of which was one Daidouji Tomoyo). It read:

__

This reporter has never witnessed such a horrendous sight. Yesterday evening, right after the end of classes, Hiiragizawa Eriol was seen walking half-naked in the middle of the King Penguin Park. Upon closer inspection, he was noted to wear black silk boxers with pink hearts and what seemed like a 'Naoko' in katakana. This 'Naoko' appears to be the very same Yanagizawa Naoko, editor en chief of the school paper, The Tomoeda High Gazette. He was later heard serenading said girl in front of the Penguin slide, where she hid from him. The victim of this incident is currently locked away in her room and in need of therapy.

Eriol did not bother to read the rest of the report. Just below the newspaper article there was a picture of himself, wearing the same boxers mentioned in the article. He was baffled, he certainly did not remember owning such a pair of undergarments, and he certainly did not remember serenading Naoko. She was a sweet girl, had a huge crush on him, but aside from friendship, he felt nothing for her. He knew instantly that this was the ploy of his Tomoyo. Eriol didn't harbour any animosity, though. He did think that this was rather funny. 

"Aren't you going to kill me?" Tomoyo's soprano voice was slightly high pitched from nervousness.

"Why would I ever want to kill you?" He asked amused.

"So you're not mad at me?" She asked in what seemed to him a very cute, childish manner.

"Of course not! Besides, I would rather get even with you than kill you." He left it at that, deciding to leave the rest up to her. "Shall we? The tea is not going to wait. How did you managed to get that picture by the way?"

"Photo Shop," the girl simply answered and followed his lead. 

Relieved, Tomoyo followed him to his manor, their conversation light their tone friendly. They stopped about three feet from Eriol's front door. Tomoyo turned to him and asked, "So what did you want to talk to me about that you risked getting detention?"

Giggling slightly at her own joke, Tomoyo missed the sadness spread over Eriol's face like the plague. "I'm leaving for England," he replied seriously. 

That line dampened Tomoyo's good cheer. "B-but...why?"

Eriol was about to reply, however, he was interrupted by Nakuru's high-pitched voice. "TOMOYO-CHANNN!!" This was followed by the boisterous guardian's bear hug as she glomped the girl in question. "Oi! I've missed you soooo much! I haven't seen you in like FOREVER! Do you have a boyfriend yet? Do you? Huh? Huh? I bet Eriol-sama can help you with that!" 

At this sentiment both Tomoyo and Eriol flushed somewhat and decided that anything other themselves was the most interesting thing on Earth. While Tomoyo was wondering why the sky was blue, Eriol was contemplating the deviations of the patterns in the soil. Opting to end the conversation at that (for the sake of his and his guest's sanity) he chose that moment to enter the house. 

In the living room, while Nakuru and Tomoyo discussed the latest gossip, Eriol was sprawled in his favourite armoire, God-knows-what-devious-schemes running through his head. His thoughts kept on straying to the topic of love, which was not so subtly introduced by his irritating guardian. And it just so happened that the subject of love was 'coincidentally' related to Tomoyo. 

He has been friends with the girl for many years now. He always regarded her with respect, occasionally pulling a prank on her. Eriol considered her his friend; some would say his best friend. During all the years he knew her, he never thought of the amethyst eyed deity-like-creature in a romantic way. He had to admit, she was beautiful, and he (like so many before him) could not help but feel his knees turn to sticky goo whenever she would smile at him. 

It was the Clow Reed in him that forbids this kind of thinking. Clow Reed did not love anyone; he felt that he was above such a human emotion. Love brought on weakness and misjudgement. And that particular part of Eriol shied away from anything relating to love. He was afraid of it, afraid of what it would do to him (and Hiiragizawa Eriol was not easily scared). Yet, some part of the boy yearned to know that feeling, to understand why many philosophers and poets described it as something divine. He couldn't suppress a shiver of excitement when the thought of Tomoyo showing him the meaning of love unwittingly appeared in his mind. 

Deciding that the patio would be an excellent setting for tea, Eriol and his guest moved outside, while Nakuru was chasing Spinel Sun somewhere on the third floor. Sipping on herbal tea and munching on an assortment of sweets, the two of them carried a pleasant conversation on the issue of Sakura's future wedding. They both agreed that sunset wedding would be the prettiest. 

Sometime later, Spinel Sun popped his little fury head out of a near by bush, inquiring the whereabouts of his tormentor. Once certain that he would not be found, he settled into a sun filled perch and dozed. Soon, natural urges took over, and Tomoyo excused herself to go to the bathroom, removing Spinel Sun from her lap (whom she saved from Nakuru's clutches). 

As Tomoyo slowly walked through Eriol's many hallways, she marvelled at the countless masterpieces displayed. She was once told by Nakuru (she was staying over the summer break) that the master of the house was a brilliant painter, could he possibly have made some of the paintings she was passing? She would have to ask him later, she made a mental note. 

Tomoyo also noted what a great cook Eriol was. Most of the sweets she tasted that day were made by him. He was also very magnanimous, and kind, and gentle, and sweet, and handsome.... She lingered on the last a bit, savouring the feel of the phrase on her lips. She released a giggle, which was followed by a sigh. She would miss him.

Somewhere along a dimly lit hallway, something peculiar caught her eye. She retraced her steps back a few paces, yes, something was definitely odd. She stood in front of a door. _'Strange, I never noticed this before,'_ she told herself. Tomoyo reached for the handle, absent-mindedly noting that it was dusty with miss use. She turned the knob, stopping for a second to ponder the consequences, and pushed the door open. 

The room that greeted her was dark and stuffy, as if it hasn't been visited for decades. Draped furniture stood about the room, she observed from the little light of the opened door. Something caught her eye; cautiously she moved closer for inspection. In front of her, swathed in dark velvet was that certain something that drew her eye. Gently, tenderly almost, Tomoyo touched the dusty fabric, unable to stop herself, as if something was drawing her towards it. She pulled the heavy cloth down. She watched, a little breathless, as the object was unveiled in front of her, the velvet pooling around her ankles: a mirror.

A mirror of such grandeur as she had never witnessed. Strange patterns and runes adorned its gilded frame. The light from the open door catching the gold rimming and making it shine with brilliance. She touched the dark surface with trembling fingers, finding it surprisingly warm. Tomoyo looked at her reflection and gasped in awe. 

Staring back at her was her own large amethyst eyes, but looking into them, she saw somebody else. She wondered for a brief instance how that could be possible. She looked at the creamy skin and rosy full lips, so very much like her own. The cascade of ebony hair down her back, a tiny smile tugging on the lips. It was definitely her in the reflection. 

In wonder, Tomoyo reached out her hand to touch her face in the mirror, as her reflection mimicked her. As her elegant fingers made contact with the surface of the glass, her reflection's smile seemed to brighten and she appeared to be winking at Tomoyo. Shocked, Tomoyo withdrew her hand, just as her image in the mirror turned around and said something to someone Tomoyo did not see. 

Poised to flee, Tomoyo was about to dash for it when the very air about her began to dampen. She fell on her knees, the shadows enveloping her completely. Tomoyo felt something creep around her, suffocating her, intoxicating her with the promises of it's enormity. She gave out a blood curling scream before she loss consciousness...

_...Here ends the first part of this story: The Prelude. And thus, the _

second part: Stranded; begins.... 

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(1) Acerbitas -- means bitterness/ painfulness in Latin. Ironic, ne?


	3. And so it Begins

A/N: I can't believe that somebody is actually reading this piece of crap...oh, well...I FINALLY figured out how to post new chapters (I'm a computer klutz). I should say this now, as the story progresses, it's gonna get a little darker (in the way of imagery), so hope ya don't mind. Another crappy chapter. Enjoy! ^___^

Disclaimers: I own many useless things. Card Captor Sakura and the characters therein are not one of those things. And besides, if I did own them, they wouldn't be useless. 

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****

Part II: Stranded: And so it Begins

Tomoyo groggily shifted to one side, trying to escape the rays of the sun that attempted to disturb her peaceful sleep. Murmuring something incoherent, she was about to once again surrender to a heavenly dream. The clutches of sleep still pungent on her, she almost dismissed the fact that something was tickling her nose. Startled, the girl quickly sat up, her dreams all but forgotten, and surveyed her surroundings. 

She discovered that she was sitting in a sun filled meadow, the trees towering high above her. The sunlight peaked though the scattering of foliage, spreading luminous light across the earth. Birds were merrily chirping, practically lulling her back to sleep. Tomoyo, if she strained her hearing, could discern the trickle of water somewhere off to her right. She could smell herbs, a strange fragrance of flowers and something that reminded her of spring. The smells and sounds overwhelmed and intoxicated Tomoyo; she felt a certain calmness about this place, as if she belonged amongst these trees.

She wondered for a split second when Eriol acquired such a beautiful --- _'Wait a minute!' _she mentally exclaimed. _'Where WAS Eriol?' _She'd been over to his house many times; enough to know that he never had a forest behind his mansion. She sprang to her feet and began to frantically search her surroundings. With some surprise, she noted that she was no longer wearing her school uniform, but a strange outfit accentuated with leather accessories. 

A muffled sound to her left caught attention. Deciding to ponder on her wardrobe later on, she went to investigate the source of the noise. Behind some bushes, she found the thing that caught her attention. Tomoyo stopped short, her breath caught in her throat at the sight that greeted her. 

There, on the ground, in another sun filled clearing was a slumbering Eriol, bathed in radiance. Walking up to him and then couching beside him, Tomoyo inspected him. She was amazed to find how child like he looked when asleep. His mouth was stretched in a content little smile, no trace of the grin he usually wore. The line between his eyebrows disappeared, as if there was no longer anything to be worried about. He mumbled something softly to himself, his voice a bit stifled by the soft grass.

Tomoyo, unwittingly, reached out a trembling hand to brush the stray strand of silky hair off his forehead. She realised her action a bit too late, but resolved to let her hand linger on his soft skin. Wondering what brought her to do something like this, she removed her hand, just in time as Eriol stirred. Scurrying back in hurry, Tomoyo sat on her hunches, watching as Eriol fully awoke. 

Shifting into a sitting position, Eriol drowsily reached to run his hand through his messy tangles (which disordered them even more and made him look very cute, not that Tomoyo would ever admit that). He stifled a jaw-breaking yawn and sleepily looked around, noticing for the first time that he had company. Blushing in embarrassment, he hastened to make himself more proper, which earned him a giggle from Tomoyo. 

Eriol's eyes nearly fell out of his sockets when he noticed what Tomoyo was wearing. A loose cotton shirt with billowy sleeves and ties to hold the blouse in place (A/N: Imagine something like Garnet's outfit in FFIX). She had dark brown breeches on; they were tucked into high, black leather boots that were lace up all the way to the thigh. Her hair was bound with a leather thong. He also noticed the way the outfit hugged her curves and accentuated them further. He was beginning to fight the nosebleed he felt coming on when her giggle interrupted him. Looking down, he finally noticed that he was wearing similar attire. His was manlier.

__

'What a rude awakening,' he thought in distaste.

Seeing him frown, Tomoyo giggled again. "Good morning to you, too."

"Ha-ha. Not funny," he replied sarcastically. "Where are we?" He asked once he, too, noticed their surroundings. 

"I was hoping you would tell me," the answered, her mood turning sour. 

The last she remembered, she was on her way to the bathroom. She clearly remembered thinking that she would miss him once he went away. Then the room she did not notice before. Tomoyo halted on the last thought. The room! Memories came crashing down on her. Now she remembered! The dark room that caught her attention, the mirror sheathed in dark velvet, her reflection, and the look of glee on the girl's face. She shivered; dread seeping it's way into her system. How could she forget?

She retold all that happened to Eriol, who in turn sobered up and looked seriously at something she couldn't determine.

"Do you know anything about this place now?" She asked hopefully.

Eriol shook his head at her question. "That was the Mirror of Veritas (1); sometimes it is called the Mirror of Praesentiae (2). I inherited it from Clow Reed, who, in his time, inherited it from his father. Clow did not know what the use for it was, and he was told not to dwell on the subject. To be cautious, I kept it looked in a secret room; I have no idea how you found it. It is beyond me what happened, but it seems it transported us someplace." As he said this, all Tomoyo's fears had been confirmed. 

After a pregnant pause, she asked, "Can't you use your powers to get us out of here?"

"I'm afraid I cannot. After Sakura transformed all the cards, I gave up most of my power to be as normal as I possibly could, (3)" he answered solemnly. 

"Oh, I-I'm sorry -- " Tomoyo began. 

"Iie. Don't be sorry; it was my choice, it's better this way," Eriol reassured her. "Besides, I still have some of my power, just not as much as I used to."

Tomoyo nodded in acknowledgement, still feeling guilty for what was clearly not her fault. Although she knew perfectly well that Eriol was the half reincarnation of Clow Reed, the most powerful mage of all time, she did not know all the responsibilities that came with that position. She felt responsible for getting them into that mess. At that moment, she resolved to get them out of this strange place.

"So, I guess we're stuck here. Jeez! That's just great!" She exclaimed, sarcasm practically oozing out of her statement.

"Well, look at the bright side, at least we don't have Nakuru to bother us," Eriol joked and watched with satisfaction the beginnings of a smile on his companion's face. He liked seeing her smile, he thought.

"I heard that!" A high-pitched voice bellowed from some undergrowth nearby. The squeal was followed by Nakuru bolting to their side and began to smother Tomoyo. Eriol sighed, nope; the Gods in Heaven were not on his side that day.

He watched as his pesky guardian continued to squeeze the life out of poor Tomoyo, who was struggling to suck in breath. Luckily, before the girl could suffocate from strangulation, his other guardian opted to intervene. "Leave Master and Tomoyo-sama alone, you dim wit!" The little creature said in an annoyed voice while landing on Nakuru's shoulder. 

That stopped the tirade, and Tomoyo made a mental note to thank Spinel Sun later. 

"Now that IT (referring to Nakuru) has shut up, let's look for a way to get out of this place," Spinel Sun said while being perched on Nakuru's shoulder. 

Spinel was sent ahead of the company to scout for a possible road. There were no pathways in site, so the group decided to go through the underbrush, which brought more difficulties to them. After approximately two hours of ambling aimlessly through the thick vegetation, the party came to a halt in a sunny clearing. 

Eriol was sitting under a tree, savouring the way the shadows cooled him off. Nakuru was nowhere to be found, probably sprawled somewhere, bemoaning his poor stomach (he ate some unidentifiable berries on the way). Spinel Sun was on a nearby branch, dosing. And Tomoyo was sitting on her hunches while she inspected the ends of her hair. She looked up suddenly. Tilting her head this way and that, she was looking for the cause of that foul stench that dared to invade her senses. 

Rising, she went to look into the matter. Waving a chaste excuse to Eriol, she left the clearing. She weaved through the shrubbery, unconsciously brushing away the leaves that somehow got tangled in her hair. She stopped in yet another clearing, repulsed at the sight before her. 

Not five feet of where she stood, lie a partially festering animal carcass. Moving in for closer examination, she looked in twisted fascination at the revolting scene. The creature's body was stretched out in a grotesque manner, one of it's paws (if they were paws) bending obliquely. The majority of it's skin was peeled off, most likely eaten away by flies and other insects. The many lacerations on its bloodied muscles, which were beginning to rot off, exposed the yellowed bones that were charred in some areas. 

She could smell the coppery reek of blood, mixed to that of rot and other putrid things. Her imagination and the smells got the best of her and she could practically *taste* the blood in her mouth. Her face was scrunched up in a mask of disgust. The carcass was at least a fortnight old (4).

As atrocious as the sight was, Tomoyo for some reason could not stop herself from getting a closer look. She gasped in abhorrence at what she saw. The creature, appearing to be some kind of a mule, had it's maw open, out of which grew a few long weeds, twisting in-between it's teeth. Tomoyo felt vomit coming up her throat when she saw the animal's eyes. The eye sockets were blank, as if someone or something gauged the eyeballs out; out of the black depths she could see maggots eating away the insides.

After seeing a couple of flies zip out of the mule's nostrils, Tomoyo decided she had had enough. She glumly went back to the clearing she left the rest of her company in. Choosing to keep the horrendous spectacle she witnessed to herself, she sat in her previous seat, purposely ignoring Eriol's questioning look. 

After they re-joined with Nakuru (who apparently was using the bushes as a makeshift toilet) the group set off again, heading north. Eriol, as the only male in the company (with the exception of Suppi-chan), was chosen as the temporary leader (Nakuru objected but no body listened). There didn't seemed to be an end to the tree, they just went on and on, stretching for miles. The group did not relent, though, and moved on.

Tempers were running thin. Nakuru constantly whined about his (5) aching feet and stomach. Spinel just fluttered silently, his irritation clearly evident. Eriol, as the leader, marched on with as much valour as a starving man on the edge of his nerves could. He felt that he needed to put on a brave front for his company's sake. Tomoyo was the quietest of the four. After seeing the mutilated animal, she decided that she wasn't hungry and kept to herself, pondering at the cruelties of nature. 

She wasn't looking where she was going, lest she would have seen what her feet were treading on and would have walked around it, but she did neither and thus she stumbled and fell, landing painfully on her behind. She looked from her position on the ground at the source of her fall, noting that it was an object of brownish hue. Sudden apprehension grabbed her; it was that or the fear that a part of the animal she'd seen somehow followed her. She blindly scurried on all fours, bumping into a solid object. Startled, Tomoyo leaped up and was about to dash for dear life when something grabbed her arm. 

Yelping, she was beginning to fight the unseen menace when she noticed that it was not harming her in any way. Opening her eyes (which she had shut unknowingly), Tomoyo looked straight into the sapphire pools that belonged to Eriol. Exhaling in relief, she all but draped herself on Eriol; no bloody cadavers there. 

Slightly shocked, Eriol held on to the trembling girl, soothingly patting her hair. He looked at his bewildered guardians and shrugged lightly. 

Once regaining her senses and realising her intimate situation, Tomoyo let go of her saviour and forced on ahead, leaving the three figures to follow her. She chose to ignore the warmth of the embrace and the feelings of security she felt while being held. She blamed the entire episode on wariness and lack of proper food. 

Following her lead, the company walked on, stopping once in a while for rest. At what would be three in the afternoon, according to their internal clock, Nakuru suddenly collapsed to the ground, wailing and flailing his hands like a four-year-old. 

"I'm hungry and I'm tired! This isn't fun anymore!" The guardian moaned. 

"Everyone is tired and hungry, you nincompoop! What do you suppose we do about it? And stop acting childish!" An agitated Spinel Sun snapped. 

"How about we cook Suppi-chan!?" Nakuru asked in a not very believable sarcastic tone. "With a little bit of spicing and primping, I'm sure he would taste just like chicken!" At this idea, Tomoyo felt her stomach churn and the beginnings of nausea coming on. 

As the Moon Guardian was having fantasies of dancing chicken and strawberry tarts, rice bowls and buttered croissants, chocolate cakes and other delectable dishes, Spinel whimpered and hid in the mane of Tomoyo's hair. 

He kept on murmuring into the back of the girls head, "Tomoyo-sama, you're nice you wouldn't let them eat me, would you?" His rescuer giggled sweetly and reassured him his safety. 

Nakuru was about to make a good comeback when he visibly stiffened, the devious grin wiped off his face. He stood up, poised like a bulldog, sniffing the air. He then, without any warning, bolted off to somewhere. The others obediently pursued. When they did reach Nakuru, he was still in bulldog mode, snout and all. 

"What? Decided that Touya would like you more if you acted like a canine?" Spinel asked from somewhere in Tomoyo's hair. 

"Sadly, no. But it does seem tempting, if it would get Touya to be mine." The guardian replied with a smirk. "Actually, I think I smell food."

The others stiffened. Come to think of it, Eriol could detect a very faint scent in the air. Shocked that his ragamuffin of a guardian was actually useful, he looked at Nakuru appreciatively. Without much hesitation, the company quickened their pace and followed their noses...

(tbc)

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(1) Veritas -- means truth/ honesty in Latin. 

(2) Praesentiae -- means present time, also in Latin.

(3) I'm not exactly sure what happened to Eriol's power after the transformation of the Cards, but if I'm wrong, please forgive me.

(4) I do not know how long it takes for a carcass to completely decompose, sorry if it sounds too farfetched. 

(5) By the information that I got, Nakuru is actually a male in a female body, so I'm gonna refer to Nakuru as a he.

I hope you will forgive me for the dead animal thing, it was kinda the spur of the moment. 


	4. Origins

A/N: Forgive me if I offended anyone with that whole animal thing, it was for the plot's sake. This is a very slow chapter, but necessary nonetheless, so bear with me. Thanks to all who reviewed (that means YOU). Enjoy this chappie!

Disclaimers: All I own is a bunch of measly video games, a toothbrush and a pillow formally known as Eriol. I also own the plot ^___^

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Part II: Stranded: Origins

The company, led by the wise Eriol, now stood on a small hill clearing, looking into the valley bellow them. The small dale floor was littered with petite houses and even smaller pastures. The houses were half-spherical in shape, strange roofs and even stranger chimneys adorning the top; an odd tower rising here and there. The perennial forest continuing beyond the town.

When moving closer to the village, the company noticed the unusual decorations of the homes. In various arrangements of begonias, petunias and harlequins, the flowers bordered the tiny walkways and later gave way to the vines that enveloped the buildings. Peculiar round windows peeked out of the plants, and if anybody looked closer, they would see a curious face or two through the glass. The doors were round and painted in vibrant hues of green and blue. Large wooden plaques hung above the oddly shaped knobs, displaying the names of the inhabitants. 

Eriol noted with some surprise that the main road was not paved but was made out of cobblestones. He wondered for an instant what kind of technological advancement this world had. Tall pillars were scattered periodically along the path, he presumed they ware light posts. The peculiar thing was that there were no light bulbs, instead flower baskets graced the top. He thought he saw statues completely made out of plants, but he blamed it on the sun and the lack of food. There were so many kinds of flowers (many of which he didn't even know about), Eriol could feel his eyes glaze over at the sight of them. 

The entire troop was in awe of what they saw; never in all their lives have they witnessed anything of this sort. The foursome was too stunned to talk; Nakuru just mumbled something incoherently. As they were walking, Eriol noticed that the streets were curiously deserted. _'How can that be?'_ he mused. _'I could swear I saw someone through the windows.'_ He was beginning to feel like a leper when a little girl ran toward them. Looking inquisitively at them, her big eyes bright, she held out a flower to them. 

Seeing this sweet gesture, Tomoyo knelt down and took the blossom from the small hand. She was about to ruffle the girl's blonde hair in a playful manner, when a throaty holler stopped her. Standing up, Tomoyo saw a big woman with an apron around her waist approaching them at a rapid speed. The woman stopped before them, looked at the child and gruffly took her hand. Dragging the toddler behind her, the lady berated her in a strong accent before disappearing behind a round blue door. Tomoyo just looked dejectedly at the mother and child and continued on her way.

Soon, the party reached what was clearly the town square. A modest statue of a knight on a neighing horse stood in the middle, as if overseeing the goings on and threatening anyone who dared to disobey the law. Vines were intertwining its form, like everything else in the village. Wagons and trolleys were scattered in places; the produce inside them still loaded. A basket of apples that was lying on the ground was overturned; the fruits scattered messily on the road. It appeared as if everything was abandoned in haste.

Something caught Eriol's eye; off to the right of the statue, half hidden by the shadows, stood a woman. He walked briskly toward her, ignoring the possibility that she might flee. She did not budge. Studying her closely, he noted that she was an aging woman, with a plump figure and the according grey hair pulled in a tight bun. A simple brown work robe was draped over her shoulders, a dirtied apron in the front. Her face, though stern, looked genial and motherly like.

She looked at the strangers, eyes unwavering. Mulling a decision over in her head, she finally motioned for them to follow her. The older woman led them to a large house off to the right of the main square. Holding the door open for them, she ushered them into her house. Still not saying anything, the woman bid them to sit around the small makeshift table and disappeared behind some curtains.

"Do you think she'll torture us?" Nakuru asked while fiddling with Spinel's tale. "Maybe she'll keep us locked up and starve us and dehydrate us --"

Nakuru's ramblings were interrupted by a low, slightly accented voice, "-- Or maybe she'll feed ya poor kids." The woman said as she entered the room, carrying a big pot and some dishes.

Their eyes were probably bright enough to light up a whole neighbourhood; the party almost forgotten their hunger out of so much awe and now, it seemed they were finally going to be repaid for the long walk they endured that day. The woman, who still did not reveal her name, simply sat on an old rocking chair watching the three youngsters and the kitty devour the food. 

After their bellies were replenished and their spirits lifted, Eriol said finally, "Thank you for that delicious meal." On an offhand note he added, "What was it that we ate exactly?"

The woman looked at him as if he suddenly sprang a second head and was singing cabaret. After a pause, she said, "'tis was me own rec'pe. We 'round 'ere call it _accernas_ (1). Who 're ye folks anyways?"

Looking at his companions, Eriol decided to keep their true identities and circumstances to themselves, "We are just travelers, looking for directions. This is Tomoyo," he pause as he examined how the word rolled of his tongue, "this is Nakuru, that is Spinel Su-- our cat!" He hastily corrected himself. "And I am Eriol. Please to meet you. Would you care to grace us with your name?" 

"Certa'nly," replied the woman. "Me name's Hanney Wilbrough, and this be the town of Vergel (2)(3). I'm the mayor of 'tis 'ere town." The four looked at each other; none of them ever heard of such a place, which further proved that they were no where on Earth.

At that moment their new acquaintance stood up and went back behind the curtains, which obviously hid the kitchen. The company took this time as a sign to inspect their surroundings. 

They were located in what appeared to be a low ceiling hut. A small fire burned in the hearth, over which a kettle and strung herbs hung. Opposite them and the kitchen was what would normally be considered a den or a living room. On the floor, worn rugs were strewn. A bench decked with cushions passed as a couch, a big old armchair stood near the wall and served as the centrepiece. The walls didn't have any paint or wallpaper (if there was such thing as wallpaper) on; in fact it looked as if the interior of the house was made entirely from wholesome materials. One could not help but feel old in this dwelling. 

A heavy aroma permeated in the air, Eriol could discern several spices, including basil. The atmosphere was so thick, he could swear he saw it swirl before him. He noticed the variety of cloaks on the crude hanger, and wondered to whom they all belonged to. He heard scurrying feet and looked for the source. The room was lighted only by the candle in the middle of the table and the fire in the hearth, and in the dimness he nearly overlooked the stairwell. Eriol saw the large eyes curiously looking at him through the support beams, and he smiled.

Hanney busily bustled in, muttering something about manners. Stopping to catch her breath she said, "Pardon me manners gent and ladies, but will ye be needin' anything?"

"Actually, yes," Eriol smoothly said. "Can you tell us something more about this land, this country?"

"Certa'nly," she answered while resuming her previous seat. "Ye be in the country o' Ardor, governed by his maj'sty King Trietys." She said proudly, glad that she pronounced the name correctly. 

This did nothing to quench the many questions still pooling around the foursome. Spinel wanted to ask where particularly this "Ardor" was located, but refrained seeing as to how he was now a cat, and cat's *certainly* didn't talk. 

"Can you tell us the history of this country then?" Asked Tomoyo, finally speaking for the first time since their hike. Eriol wondered briefly why she was suddenly so quiet, but chose to delve into that when he had some of his curiosity was satisfied. Besides, he wanted to know the answer as well. 

"Well, I ain't one o' 'em book peoples, but I know a thing o' two. Ye are fortunate ye are still intact. There's war brewing abroad," she said as her guests gasped. "Now 'old ye tongues, young ones. 'tis all was started years ago, long before ye were in the womb. When our realm was young, there 'ore two royal families. One o' Ardor (4) and one o' Gelidum (5). The son of the King o' Ardor was betrothed to the Princess o' Gelidum. The boy refused; fell in love with a common broad, you see. He ran away. Gelidum never forgave the treachery the boy's family committed. The two countries been feuding since then. I dunno the whole story, mind ye." she said as she finished her tale. 

Nakuru gave out a pretentious wail and began to sob (very unbelievably) into Spinel's fur. Eriol just mulled things over, marvelling at the quirks of royalty. Tomoyo just stared at her lap. "Why is everybody in this village afraid of us?" she asked suddenly.

"Ye see, King Trietys suspects that Gelidum's been sending spies an' all. He passed one of 'em policyty (she meant policy) things. No one's suspicious lookin' allowed to pass through this country. An' ye sure are suspicious lookin'." So that explained why they were suddenly treated like lepers. "Ye better watch ye back, lest ye wants to be caught an' imprisoned."

At least now they knew what they got themselves into, thought Eriol, his mind going a mile a minute. He was beginning to feel bad for the town's people. He could image what it would be like to live in constant fear of invasion. 

"Do you know of an inn near by?" He asked tiredly, the day's events were beginning to wear him out.

"Well, ye can stay 'ere," Hanney replied. If truth be told, it was long since she had guests, she wanted to feel that thrill again. After a minute's hesitation, the group agreed. 

It was then that a small body, supported by equally small legs, arms and head half walked half ran into the room. A toddler, no older than four years old, with tawny hair and big brown eyes, just like Hanney's. He latched onto the older woman's legs, and timidly peered at the strangers. An older girl with the same light-brown hair but blue eyes followed this little boy. The two were introduced as Nadia and Hien, Hanney's grandchildren. 

The two were spellbound by their guests' presence and paid a remarkable amount of attention to the discussions. They cooed over Spinel, exclaiming "what a cute kitty!" and scratched him behind the ears. Spinel was not pleased with this, he did not feel dignified when he was treated like a normal alley cat, but he was forced to endure. Nakuru was the centre of attention, full of animated chitchat.

Tomoyo's mood seemed to brighten by the presence of the children, and she carried over the conversation with as much good cheer as she could muster, bursting into bubbly laughter at times. As the evening wore into night, it was time to go to bed (and the foursome needed sleep like a drowning ma needed a lifeline). Tomoyo and Nakuru were to share a room with Nadia, while Eriol stayed in Hein's room with the boy. 

Spinel cleared his throat at the sleeping arrangements, when realising his predicament, he forced out a fake "meow". Catching on to his intentions, Eriol asked their hostess, "Umm.. Hanney, where will my...cat sleep?"

The woman stared at him incredulously, and then said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Why, he'll be sleeping 'utside wit' the rest o' the animals, o' course." At this Spinel gulped and paled (if that was possible). A bit miffed, he was about to demand proper accommodations when Nakuru swiped him off into a chocking embrace. Knowing perfectly well he could not defend himself with the present situation, he simply snorted and gave into Nakuru's hug and squealed "Suppi-chan!"s. 

Thus came the end to a very long day, the first day the company spent in this strange realm; and the end of the day marked the start of what would surely be many more days. 

(tbc)

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(1) _accernas -- _a dish closely resembling porridge. As far as I know, it means nothing and is straight out of my head.

(2) Hanney Wilbrough -- my own character, based and dedicated to a friend who bears the same name (though not by birthright).

(3) Vergel -- means 'Flower Garden' in Spanish, ironic, ne?

(4) Ardor -- means fire/ flame/ heat and love in Latin

(5) Gelidum -- means ice cold/ icy in Latin.

A/N: Another chapter done, and I'm completely exhausted. Sorry for the use of over used clichés, old habits die hard. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a bed not one foot away, and a certain pillow that goes by the name of Eriol is calling me. Till next chapter. Adieu! 


	5. Misdemeanours

A/N:.... For the first time in my life I actually have nothing to say.... very peculiar.... Thanx to all who reviewed. And enjoy!

Disclaimers: This year for my birthday I asked for omnipotent control of CCS and the G-Wing boys. All I got was a lot of chocolate, an annoying sister and a huge headache. 

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Part II: Stranded: Misdemeanours

Cheery rays of sunlight streamed through the lacy curtains and spilled on the face of a sleeping young man. Eriol turned his head away from the disturbing light and buried it underneath his pillow. It was too early, and the bed just so happened to be warm and comfy. Sweet visions were about to start dancing in front of his lids when a delicious aroma filled his nostrils: _laches _(1) and possibly eggs and bacon. 

He dazedly lifted the comforter and stood on wary feet. He walked to the strange shaped window and opened the weathered shutters; he took a whiff of the air, relaxing. He marvelled at the scenery of the garden. Emerald grass gleamed in the bright sun, the various flowers bursting with colours. The apple tree stood as the main focus, beyond it was the fishpond. Outside the town's parameters, stretched the seemingly never-ending forest, the far away mountains faintly visible from the treetops.

He sighed, it was so peaceful in Vergel, he wished he could stay in this town forever; this would be a perfect place to raise a family. For a second he was struck with a vision of himself sitting on a porch swing, his children playing with Spinel's wings, his wife snuggled lovingly beside him. He shook his head; such thoughts were forbidden and would likely drive him stark raving mad. 

It has been a week since the company arrived in this realm and a week since Hanney took them into her home. The people of this town were still afraid of them, and so the local inn refused to take them in. They also didn't have local money. Hanney let them stay at her house in exchange for help with domestic chores; after all, she was an old woman. Eriol did not mind the strenuous corporeal labour; he felt he owed it to the hostess.

His thoughts were interrupted by the growling of his stomach, and he suddenly remembered that he was hungry. Pulling on a clean cotton shirt and simple brown work pants, he turned from the scenic vistas and headed for the stairs. He didn't bother with either buttoning the shirt or brushing his dishevelled locks and strode into the kitchen area.

No one noticed his presence and he just stood there. Nakuru and Spinel were bickering over the feline guardian's meal (Nakuru wanted Suppi to sample some of her laches). Hanney was no where in sight, probably in her office, he thought absentmindedly. Nadia was munching on her breakfast while watching his two guardians, stifling giggles once in a while.

Tomoyo was kneeling down in front of Hein, his small hands wrapped around her slender neck. She wore a simple lemon coloured sundress that reached to her ankles (it used to belong to Hanney's daughter before she passed away). Her cheeks were rosy and she practically glowed with natural beauty. Ever since arriving in this town, she seemed healthier, had in fact gained a light tan. Tomoyo's hair was pulled into two pigtails, and Eriol felt a boyish urge to tug on one of those. 

He was about to grasp one ebony plait when she turned around and startled him. She looked at him questioningly, then noticed his state of dress (or undress) and puffed out her cheeks. 

"What's for breakfast, woman?" Eriol asked teasingly, his blue eyes sparkling.

"Oh, no!" She exclaimed. "You are not getting one morsel of food until you are properly dressed!"

He looked down at himself and grinned lopsidedly. "And what, my I ask, is wrong with my attire?"

"For starters, your shirt is opened!" Tomoyo retorted loudly. 

By now, every one's eyes were on the two of them, by they didn't notice, nor did they care. "And you have a problem with that?" Eriol asked, hoping that he in some way unsettled her.

"Of course not! There's no reason for me to be!" _'Yes, there's a problem!' _her mind screamed, _'You are too gorgeous to look at!'_ She did not feel comfortable with his exposed chest right in front of her. Tomoyo felt a certain pleasant, indescribable sensation ran through her, and fought valiantly to contain a blush. She didn't like the effects of Eriol presence had on her and was determined to ignore them for as long as she could. 

"So what, are you gonna make me starve simply because you cannot stand the sight of my beautiful chest?" Eriol asked, a bit hurt that she in no way found him attractive.

Vexed, Tomoyo allowed him to take his breakfast but did not speak a word to him for the duration of the meal. While the atmosphere between the two was tense, Nakuru was having a field day. If anybody paid attention to him, they would have noticed the devious gleam in the guardian's eyes and the little sadistic gears in motion. No body did, however, and the maniacal guardian was working over load to muster evil schemes. 

"Hanney said that she needed some products from the market. Do you two mind doing that?" Nakuru finally said, addressing the two. In their naughtiness, Eriol and Tomoyo didn't even perceive the hidden intentions of the guardian. Spinel, however, did and stifled a snort. 

"Fine," they said simultaneously, glaring at the air in front of them.

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"What else do we have to get?" Tomoyo asked resignedly as she wove through the crowd in the market place. 

"Red Ale and some ointments." Eriol replied just as wearily. 

The two of them made their way to the Pharmacy, which was located at the other side of town. Tomoyo was still slightly shaken from the morning's incident. She let the cool breeze calm her nerves. As the air seeped through and past her, she began to regret her cruel words towards her companion. I wasn't his fault that she was afraid of what his simple touch, glance or melodious words did to her.

"Eriol, I'm sorry," She said out of the blue.

"I know. And I'm sorry, too," he responded. They exchanged cordial smiles; their spirits lifted considerably, they marched on with more vigour.

In no time they reached the Pharmacy, stepping inside with an extra bounce to their step. A pretty petit lady with flaming hair and green eyes welcomed them at the counter. Eriol confidently strode to the counter and with a charming grin handed the list to the girl. The clerk scanned the contents of the piece of paper, and reached for a bottle of moss green liquid. 

"'Ere you go, handsome," the woman said with a syrupy smile, handing the phial to Eriol. The leer made Tomoyo cringe, and she wanted to slap the girl silly for reasons unknown to her. Steeling herself under control, she just watched the two interact.

Eriol grinner in return, thanking the lady for her assistance. The two of them were about to exit the establishment, when the clerk's voice stopped their progress. "Ma'be ye can drop by later, after you dispose of yer sister?" The woman purred suggestively and winked, sending a shiver of contempt down Tomoyo's spine. 

Tomoyo looked scandalized. With a barely suppressed glare towards the lustful woman, she dragged Eriol out of the store. Stomping angrily, she made her way to the local tavern. Eriol merely smirked at her retreating back. 

__

'Who does that hussy think she is!?' Tomoyo fumed silently. How could that woman possibly consider her Eriol's sister?! They looked similar, she had to admit, but not to the extent of them being relatives. She became even more enraged at Eriol's corresponding behaviour to the woman's advances. Something vile formed at the pit of her stomach, her delicate hands clenched in tight fists and her mouth was set in a firm line. Tomoyo felt like hurting someone.

Underneath her wrath, however, lingered uncertainty. What *did* Eriol think of her. That woman in the store was pretty; surely Eriol would be attracted to her. There wasn't any reason for him to find *her* attractive. They were mere friends, she heard him say so often. Tomoyo felt a stab of pain in the vicinity of her heart, but refused to ponder its source. 

They reached the pub, The Broken Bottle, and she was about to come inside when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked into Eriol's cobalt depths.

"Relax, Tomoyo. You look like you just had kittens." He joked. Opening the door before she could react, he ambled into the dimly lit room.

Following close behind him, Tomoyo stopped in her tracks. She had never visited a bar before, but it was close to what she imagined one to be. The heavy smoke hung in the air; filling her lungs and making her feel slightly light headed. There were a few men sitting on the chairs in front of the counter and in the tables beside the stained glass windows. Some of them leered hungrily at her, and she unconsciously moved closer to Eriol. Scantily clothed waitresses walked to and fro. Tomoyo couldn't help but feel a bit sick.

The bartender behind the counter gestured for them to move closer. He was a bolding man with a soggy face and buggy eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, and Tomoyo noted with some disgust the state of decay his teeth were in. While Eriol took care of the business, Tomoyo distracted herself from the stares with the multi-colour array of bottles behind the barkeeper. 

Their chores finished, the two headed home, both lost in their thoughts. Eriol thought of his impression on the woman at the pharmacy and grinned unconsciously. Tomoyo thought of the impious stares she got from the men in the pub, and suppressed a shudder.

When they reached the house, both went separate ways. Tomoyo went to the room she shared with Nakuru and Nadia to take a nap she felt she deserved; Eriol went Lord-knows-where to do Lord-knows-what.

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A strange noise woke Tomoyo up. Her mind still fogged with sleep, she wondered where it came from and who in their right mind dared to make it. She tried to block it with her pillow, but her curiosity took the better of her. Pulling on a light dress, she walked downstairs and towards the back garden, where the clamour seemed to be coming from.

After approximately five minutes of searching and her curiosity level rising, she found the source behind the apple tree. Fighting back a laugh, she stared at Eriol. He was sitting waist beep in the muddy waters of the pond. His face smudged with dirt and his hair and clothes soaking. A weed hanging off his left ear, his glasses no where to be found. He was a sight to behold and laugh at.

Sensing her presence, he glowered angrily at her. The look on his face caused Tomoyo to burst in hysterical laughter. His frown deepened just as a water drop fell from his nose.

"What are you doing in there?" Tomoyo asked, holding her aching sides.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm taking a bath," He replied scornfully at her. 

"Really? I didn't know you enjoyed bathing in mud. Maybe that's why illiterate women find you attractive," She retorted just as sarcastically.

"Actually, this was Nakuru's idea of a sick joke," He corrected her seriously. After a pause, he said, "Well, are you just gonna stand there? Come here and help me!"

"And what if I don't? Are you gonna threaten me with a soaked and muddy shoe," Tomoyo said back teasingly, beginning to return back to the house.

"Maybe I will!" Eriol exclaimed and aimed a ball of muck at her retreating back.

Not expecting the attack, Tomoyo did not have time to dodge the slime ball. She watched affronted as the mud spread along her back and some of her front. Deciding that leaving would be equivalent to surrender, she walked to the edge of the pond, just out of Eriol's reach.

Picking up the mire at the base of her feet and scrunching it up in an orb, she threw it directly at her nemesis' face. Unable to manoeuvre out of the way, the mud landed in the face of it's target, who was too stunned to do anything but sputter. With a satisfied smirk, Tomoyo tuned around to walk back into the house when her foot slipped on a toadstool. Her arms flailing, she went sailing into the water. Sitting dazed on her rear end, she was barely aware of Eriol's tenor bursting in a laugh. They were now on equal ground.

Looking down at herself, she found that she was in the same state of disarray as her companion. Suddenly, her soprano voice joined his tenor in bubbly mirth, together creating a perfect harmony. They laughed for a while, letting all the tension they felt trickle away like sand in an hourglass. After that they just looked at each other smiling, coming to a silent agreement.

Awkwardly tuning to sit on her knees, Eriol followed suit. One on their knees, they began to crawl to the edge of the pond. Once on dry ground, the two collapsed in yet another fit of laughter. Sighing contently, they looked to the late afternoon sky. In pallets of vivid purple and tangerine, occasional bird flying above, the day was coming to a close. Tomoyo was beginning to wonder at the different shapes of the clouds when a loud ringing disturbed both of them out of their relaxed sated.

Looking perplexed at each other, they went into the house. Inside, Hanney and the rest were gathered around the table. Both of them ignored the inquiring quirk of Hanney's eyebrow and the squeal of delight form Nakuru. Settling on the chairs, they began pelting questions all at once at their hostess. 

"Simmer down, young 'nes," the woman held out her hands. 

"What's going on?" Tomoyo fired as soon as silence reigned.

"The country's bien' invaded," Hanney said solemnly. Everyone present in the room gasped. The woman continued, "I dunno who ye are or what's yer business in 'ere, but I sure know one thin', yer not safe in this town." 

The foursome looked at each other worriedly; their next path had been decided for them

(tbc)

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(1) _laches_ -- this world's equivalent of pancakes, only more crispy and sweeter.

Sorry for pathetic attempts at humour and my poor use of the English language. ;___;


	6. On the Road

A/N: Can anybody tell me if I'm going too fast with this? I was originally planning to make this a seven part story, but from the looks of this.... Anyway, any OOC-ness on Eriol's or Tomoyo's behalf is purely for plot purposes. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Now look what you did!! You broke the legal jargon!!! Bad you! I no own! Happy?!

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Part II: Stranded: On the Road

Nakuru tossed and turned in his bed, the sleep evading him. Sighing frustratedly, the guardian removed the heavy comforters and stood up. Walking to the window, he noted that it was still a couple of hours until daybreak. Even though the sky outside was nothing but a dark mauve haze, Nakuru could see the sleeping forms of his two roommates snuggled comfortably in their beds. He envied them on a certain level. 

Shrugging lightly with a smirk plastered on his face, he came to Tomoyo's bed and peered closely into the girl's face. Giggling slightly, he tucked the blanket firmer around the girl. She sure was pretty, and kind, and sweet; perfect for his master. Stifling back another giggle lest he wake up his slumbering roommates, Nakuru made his way to the next room, which belonged to Eriol and Hein.

Kneeling quietly beside his master's bed, Nakuru stared at him. Nakuru always marvelled at how peaceful Eriol looked when asleep. By looking at him you would not be able to tell that this lanky boy snoozing serenely was once the most powerful mage on earth. Nor would you be able to tell that the same boy suffered great hardships and heartache. Nakuru often wondered how he hid it so well.

The now sedate guardian reached a gentle hand to his master's forehead, brushing away the few stray strands. Nakuru loved his master. That was why he was so determined to make Eriol happy, even at the expense of his own well being. Exhaling and giving one last tender look to his master, Nakuru exited the small room. 

Smirking brightly, Nakuru headed downstairs to the kitchen where tea and a lemon meringue (made by Eriol the previous day) waited beckoned him. While munching happily on his dessert, Nakuru went outside, letting the cool breeze seep through him. Spotting his unsuspecting target curled into a tight ball on a bench, Nakuru sauntered over with a devious grin. With a syrupy "Suppiiiii-chaaaan!" he cornered his barely awoken prey. 

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The company, dressed in the same strange clothes they found themselves once they arrived in this world, was standing just outside the town limits, saying their goodbye. Just as Fate would have it, the day was cloudy and the air was thick with moisture, mirroring the foul mood this particular company was having. 

Goodbyes were never easy and were usually followed by great sorrow, which was why Eriol hated goodbyes and refused to give into the sadness. Putting on a cheery front, he forced himself to bravely face the woman that gave them home for the past week and hug her tenderly.

During their time together, he came to know her as the mother figure he always craved for. Never having parents of his own, he could not help but feel slightly resentful towards those who did have loving families, despite all reason and self taught discipline. He wanted to have a father who would give him a wise advice to a problem; he wanted to have a mother who lovingly took him into his arms and cradled him when he was feeling like he was in the gutter. He hated Clow Reed for denying him that right. Now, the one person who came close to having that special place in his heart was disappearing out of his reach. 

Eriol noted with a large degree of pity the sadness and the stinging tears in Tomoyo's eyes. She was like him, lacking a motherly touch, a proper family. He wanted to go over to her and comfort her, to smooth away her woe. All the impulsive parts of his psyche propelled him forward, but all the years of squeezing out his emotions and the logic he obtained forced him to stay away from her. He did neither. Eriol stood on neutral ground watching, his sapphire pools overflowing with compassion and self-control.

"We're going to miss you," Tomoyo presently said while giving crushing hugs to Nadia and Hein. She had come to think of them as the little siblings she never had. The two simply wailed into her hair. 

Nakuru was nowhere to be found, and once he consulted with Spinel, Eriol determined that his guardian was saying his farewells to the village pretty boys. Always the flirt, he smirked. Spinel Sun was coiled into a fury ball in a patch of grass, apparently he didn't sleep well that night. He didn't know how his guardians took to going away, but it seemed they were coping just nicely. 

He was pulled back to the present by Hanney's tug on his arm. Tomoyo beside him, they listened to her last words of wisdom.

"I've lived a long life; enough to know that good people are rarer than singing dogs. One thin' I'm certain, though, ye are good people; I'd 'ate to know that anythin' bad 'appened to ye." The woman said this a bit tearfully. "Look out for yourselves, and don't ya dare abandon each other when in need. We'll miss ya, too ya know."

Shifting closer to Tomoyo she whispered into the girl's ear, "Straighten 'im out, honey. 'E'll make a fine husband one day." This sentiment brought a bright crimson flush to the girl's cheeks and she began to back away with silly excuses.

Eriol on his side of the conversation wondered what happened to bring out such a change in his female companion. He had a feeling it was something about him, though he didn't question the guilty party. He learned from early on that women did strange things for even stranger reasons; he resolved to leave them to their own business.

Hanney, the ever-humble hostess, gave them each cloaks and spare clothes for the road. She also lent them two horses and some money (they refused, but Hanney was adamant about what she wanted), knowing full well that their journey would be long and treacherous. Their mounts laden with food and other things necessary for the journey, such as blankets and cooking utensils, the company gave their last farewells and headed on their way.

Nakuru insisted very earnestly that Tomoyo and Eriol share the larger of the two horses, a palomino mare, while the two guardians had the other, a dapple-grey mount. The two teens didn't object, though for the purpose of keeping up images, they appeared non-too pleased with the arrangement. Tomoyo had the privilege of naming the horses; her own was dubbed Vive Maria, while Nakuru's was christened Touya (on Nakuru's own insistence). 

For most of the ride the company was silent, each of them keeping to their own thoughts. Nakuru occasionally broke into a jolly travel song, but was quickly shut up by Spinel Sun. The morning's gloom did not dissipate, but seemed to worsen until it was difficult to see much beyond their own horses' reigns. Spinel was sent to scout ahead for any signs of breaks in the earth or any forks in the road. Sighing indignantly, the feline went about his task.

"Where do you think we need to go?" Asked Tomoyo.

"I don't know. I guess we'll stop at the first place that has a roof and four walls." Answered Eriol a bit hopelessly. He sincerely didn't have a clue on exactly where they were going and how long it would take to get them there. All that he was told by Hanney was that he would know the place once he got there. It didn't help the situation any that Eriol had no idea what to look for. 

Eriol was startled out of his little reverie by a panting Spinel. The little stuffed-animal-like-creature was flying towards them as fast as his tiny wings could carry him. Eriol motioned for the horses to stop; his little guardian landed on the mare's head.

"What's wrong?" Eriol asked his still winded guardian.

"T-there's a man u-up ahead." The winged creature answered, a bit breathless. 

"Oh Suppi-chan! Don't tell me you got scared of some vagabond of a man! I thought you braver then that." Nakuru smirked playfully.

"When was the last time you looked in the mirror?! You're a man wearing girl's dresses and hitting on poor bystanders!" Retorted Spinel.

"What *is* so special about this particular stranger, Spinel?" Tomoyo asked from her seat in front of Eriol. 

"I reckon it is best if you simply saw for yourself," the guardian replied. 

Looking at each other quizzically, the company set off forward. They had been thoroughly warned by Hanney to watch out for strangers, in case they were the enemy spies. Sure enough, further up the road, underneath a sweeping oak tree, was a very outlandish looking man. 

The man was wearing a long navy robe under a very shabby looking cloak. He had snow-while hair that was in a very peculiar shape; it stood out at the sides and fell haphazardly in the eyes. Almost like a mushroom, Eriol thought. Under the silvery main protruded a long, slightly crooked nose and a lengthy, pointed moustache. He was sitting on what appeared to be a tree stump, but Eriol wouldn't be too surprised if it was actually a chest. The man's luggage and cane were off to the side. 

Paying no heed to his visitors, the old man took out a long wooden pipe from some unidentifiable place in his garments. Taking long swings at his pipe, the man broke into an odd song that didn't match any of the languages that Eriol knew. 

Clearing his throat, Eriol gained the attention of the man. 

"Good day, your Lordship. Are you in need of something?" The man asked in a rich tenor, his vibrant eyes scanning over the group. 

"Actually, we were about to ask you the same question," Eriol replied.

The man looked intensely at Eriol, as if trying to look through the boy's psyche and straight to his. After a moment of silence, the man said cryptically, "Do not seek knowledge, embrace it, live it, love it and with it. An apple doesn't fall far from a tree." Eriol looked inanely at the man before him. The man, in turn, took another swing at his pipe and continued his merry song in the strange tongue. 

Without much hesitation, the group set off on the road again, only too glad to leave the uncanny man's company. Nakuru was later head saying "Tch! Fine, who would ever want to talk to that old geezer!?"

The rest of the day passed without major incident. There was a little scuffle between his two guardians over the food (Nakuru was ravaging all their food supplies and Spinel was adamant about tying the berserked guardian to a nearby tree). Later on they were faced with a problem of crossing a river. A wet Spinel and some bickering after, it was determined that the river was shallow and easy to cross.

Eriol, for his part, could not stop thinking about the old man and his peculiar little speech. It felt as if the man was talking directly to him, about something only he had seen and something that made sense only to him. The problem was, Eriol couldn't make heads or tales of what was said and why it had such relevance to him. A small part of Eriol screamed for him to follow as the man said (how ever ridiculous that may be), but that was the more daring and spontaneous part of the boy. His logic dictated that he avoid any strange looking men from now on.

"What do you think that old man meant?" He suddenly asked his riding partner.

Tomoyo looked up at him a bit startled, apparently she was having a mental discussion of her own. Looking quizzically at him, Eriol found her pose to be very endearing and cute. The reached his right hand and playfully taped her elven nose. Seeming even more puzzled now, it was all poor Tomoyo could do to not pout childishly.

"I asked what you thought the old man meant." He informed her.

"Oh. I don't know. But if I were you, I wouldn't take it to be more than a bunch of really bad clichés." She answered.

"What do you think he was doing on that road?" He asked, his curiosity seemingly perpetual. 

"Maybe he decided that by sitting on the road and singing silly songs would attract a huge crowd and eventually make him a millionaire." She answered jokingly, turning back to the road.

"What language do you think that song of his was?" He asked. Eriol wasn't satisfied with her previous response, but figured that she knew as much as he did. 

"You don't know?" She seemed genuinely surprised. "You mean there's a language out there you DON'T know?"

He scowled at her darkly; he didn't like his intelligence insulted. He moved on to his next question. "Do you think he's an enemy spy?"

"If he's a spy then half the people of Vergel were spies as well. They wore weird looking clothes, too." She answered, though by his reckoning she didn't answer anything at all. He frowned at the back of her head; he could tell that she enjoyed mocking him.

"Weren't we the outsiders? And if we are the outsiders, then aren't we the ones with the weird clothes and suspicious background?" He questioned cunningly. 

"I suppose so. But we are not the ones who sit aimlessly on road sides and sing outlandish songs. He had a reason to sit there and sing, so it wasn't our place to ask who exactly he was. Otherwise, why not ask everyone we meet on the way whether they were sent to capture and torture us." Tomoyo answered and he all but pouted at her. It seemed that the girl had a sharp mind and a sharp tongue. He grinned; it'd be fun to do this more often with her.

"Do you think --"

"By the amount of time you spend talking about that man, I could swear, you were infatuated with him." The girl cut him off. Trying to suppress a girlish giggle, she declared the topic over. 

"Are we there yet?" Whined Nakuru from somewhere behind them. He had been doing so for about half an hour now.

"Oh shut up, you boy fawning, boil-brained harpy (1)!" Spinel snapped not for the first time that day.

"O-oh yeah! Well, you...you are just jealous that they aren't paying attention to you!" Nakuru retorted earnestly, he really didn't know half the terms Spinel called him.

It was beginning to grow dark. The heavy clouds still did not disperse and the haze was now acquiring a bright scarlet hue. The clouds also seemed to be growing in volume; they had to find shelter before it poured. Eriol could swear he heard the distinct rumbling of thunder hot on their trail and gulped. He didn't like the prospect of being soaked that night and he didn't even have dinner yet.

The Deities were on his side that day, or it was just plain, foolish luck. Not twenty feet ahead from them was an old, nearly dilapidated shed beneath a sweeping willow. After a little of investigation, they found that the shack was abandoned and housed mounds and mounds of straw. Eriol could almost feel giddy at their newfound luck if he wasn't so tired. _'Lord, do I need a bath,' _he thought.

Letting their steeds roam the meadow surrounding the shed, they moved their entire luggage into the hut, to keep it from the rain. Eriol lighted a small fire underneath the willow, where he was certain the rain and wind wouldn't extinguish it. Just as the rain was beginning to pelt the worn out walls of the shed, the company was inside, savouring eggs and sausages. 

After their meal, they curled into their cloaks, their blankets over them; the group was preparing to sleep. It wasn't luxury (as Nakuru pointed out) but it was either this or the rain, and no one preferred the latter. Eriol listened as the tiny droplets drummed on the grimy window and the wind that howled thought he cracks in the walls. He couldn't fall asleep, he was wary of some unseen nemesis. After he heard the relaxed breathing of his companions, he determined that nothing would go wrong. He was beginning to drift asleep, _'Finally,'_ he thought. 

"Olives."

Startled, he sat up in his makeshift bed. "What?" He asked dubiously.

"I said 'olives'. I want some olives." Tomoyo, whom the interruption came from also sat up in her bed and looked at him.

He looked at her silhouette in the dark. "Why would you ever want olives, especially here and now?"

"I just never had them before." The girl replied a bit timidly.

"Tell ya what, once we get out of this place, I'll take you to the best restaurant in Tokyo, you can order as much olives as you want, and then pig out on them like there's no tomorrow." He said sleepily.

Giggling Tomoyo settled down. A minute later, Eriol was asking her whether she ever had any Yorkshire pie; she didn't. He promised to make some for her once they got back. He then asked if she ever tasted haggis; she hadn't, but declined the offer. Their conversation eventually moved on to other topics, and that went well into the night.

Outside in the rain, perched on a high branch of the willow tree, something was silently observing the shack. The creature stayed unmoving even after the two teens finally fell asleep; it's eyes occasionally blinking unsimultaneously. At one time it thought it was being watched, but that was not possible so the creature dismissed that possibility. 

At the crack of dawn, the rain had ceased. _'Aa. It stopped raining. Finally,'_ the creature thought. It slithered up to the highest branch, letting the wing dry it's slightly wet scales. Giving a last glance at the shed and the unsuspecting foursome inside, the creature leaped and was carried by the strong gusts towards its master. _'Yes,' _the creature thought, _'Master would be pleased.'_

.....Thus ends the second part: Stranded. And this note heralds the beginning of a 

new part: Trials....

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(1) A Shakespearian version of 'you boy crazy, pus brained, harpy' ^______^

Well, that makes my life easier... Oh, there's absolutely NOTHING goin' on with Nakuru and Eriol, it is merely creation-creator affection. Tell me if I should speed up the romance between ExT.

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	7. The Secrets of the Forest

A/N: Again, nothing to say.... it was a weird chapter to write...Hope someone out there liked it. Enjoy!

Disclaimers: I do not practice plagiarism. I do this for fun and to hopefully lose my sanity.

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Part III: Trials: The Secrets of the Forest 

Tomoyo woke up early that morning, she did not know why she did; it was like a silent summon for her to get up despite her weariness and see the sky. Walking outside the shed, she complied with the urge. Amidst the first rays of sun, the twin moons, Bellum and Letum (1), were two slightly visible rings.

It surprised Tomoyo that first time, a little over a week ago, when she saw instead of the usual crescent in night sky two identical globes staring back at her. It was a glorious sight; like two gems the moons shone, their glow casting silver streaks upon her face. When she heard the legend, she was stuck with sadness. 

The legend told of an accursed love between ancient Gods. Bellum, the deity of War and Letum, the patron of Death. Both loved each other madly, for War has eyes only for Death and Death thrives only in War. The two, however, were forbidden to love, lest chaos break over the world. After the Battle of the Gods, when the deities abandoned the people, Letum remained, mourning the demise of her lover. In order to appease the sorrowful Goddess, the twin moons were named in her and her lover's honour, so their legacy would remain with the people forever. 

Now, when she stood in the meadow, the rays of sun breaking through the clouds, she found the moons' presence very comforting, though she did not know why. The previous day she fought with constant apprehension over some unseen force. It was a slight nagging sensation at the back of her mind, at the root of her very core. She felt like she would break out in spasmodic trembles any second, but that never came. Now, she felt herself been lulled into calmness by the soft glow, as if moons were reassuring her that they would look out for her safety. 

She heard shuffling in the back. Turning her head slightly, she noted that it was simply Nakuru inquiring on her master. It was rather odd. Every night they were staying at Hanney's, Nakuru would get up hours before dawn and go somewhere. Tomoyo suspected it was to check on Eriol; her assumptions were now confirmed. She smiled at the sweet gesture.

"Oh Suppiiiii-chaaaan!!" The said guardian hollered in a singsong manner once outside the hut. "I have something for you!! This is your one and only chance to find out what it is!!"

"You were looking fore me?" Spinel asked directly behind his archenemy.

Nakuru leapt three inches into the air at his voice. "Ho--.. whe--...you-- why....Aah?!" The shocked guardian exclaimed while gesticulating with his hands.

"Speaking in neanderthalic, monosyllabic grunts again, Nakuru?" Spinel smirked. "My, my, and I thought you were created to be superior one."

Nakuru huffed and with a defeated air left him to go sulk in the bushes. Just after the guardian left, Eriol shuffled groggily out of the cabin, looking disoriented and a bit rumpled. Tomoyo couldn't suppress a girlish giggle. He always looked so adorable when startled out of bed. It was beginning to become addictive; maybe she should wake him up early everyday to simply see that look on his face.

Looking at her sideways, Eriol shuffled around the shack to the back of it, where a makeshift washroom was set up. She suppressed another grin, it would be no fun if she somehow insulted him, she wanted plenty of opportunities to play with him and that would not be possible if they were not on speaking terms. 

As the company went about the preparations for their departure from the camp, Tomoyo was struck with a little dilemma. She had been wearing the same clothes for the past twenty hours, which was much more than she ever spent in the same garments. She was stuck between deciding to wear what was efficient and what was elegant. She only had one pair of trousers, one shirt and dresses. Looking at it logically, she decided that a day spent on horseback would be much easier in pants. All she needed now was a change of shirt (she was already wearing her slacks). 

Walking into the cabin, she dug in Eriol's bag for a clean shirt (it was the most rational solution to her). Pulling one out, she didn't hesitate to don it on. Eriol's smell reached her nose; it was the same musky odour she had the chance to experience the previous day while being enveloped in his arms. It did strange things to her senses; a shiver of heat ran down her spine, only to spread in her belly and then make her feel a bit light headed. Wondering if the odd reaction was some sort of flu, she put it to the back of her head and continued on with her business.

Once she was satisfied that all her belongings were packed securely in her bag, she went outside, where everyone else were having breakfast. Tomoyo sat down opposite Eriol and took the bowl offered to her by Nakuru. Eriol looked up at her from his meal, one eyebrow raised in question. She noticed this stare and looking down determined its source. 

Battering her eyelashes and plastering on what she hoped was a 'take me home' look, she said sweetly, "You don't mind, do you?"

Gazing at the shirt once again, his ears reddened and his voice came out just a pitch higher, "No of course not. But you should have asked first."

"I'm sorry," the girl replied just as sugary. "I promise I'll ask next time."

Eriol flushed even more and decided that his bowl of oatmeal was the most fascinating thing in the world. He found it rather unsettling -- and a bit flattering, if he was honest with himself -- that Tomoyo chose his shirt. She could have borrowed Nakuru's, or simply put on a gown, but she did not. She choose to wear *his* shirt. That suggested that she, even if only on a fundamental level, cared for him. The thought brought another blush to his already crimson composure. 

Soon after their breakfast, the company mounted their steeds and moved forward. As they wove their way through the coiling road, Tomoyo began to drift off in a light doze. She was still tired from the previous day's ride, and on top of that, she didn't sleep much that night. 

She remembered the silly promises Eriol made her that night, and she couldn't help smiling appreciatively. He was so kind to her; he always did what was best for her, and sometimes his simply being there brought a twinge of hope to her. Yet at other times, he was an insensitive jerk. He often did things out the blue, and it unnerved her somewhat. One time, for instance, he sent a dozen roses to her house, and once she asked him what was the special occasion, he replied that it was because he felt like it at the time. After that, he made her pay the entire cost of the flowers.

She frowned at the destination her thoughts were heading in and shook them off for happier musings; after all, she still had to last the duration of their stay in this world without strangling him. Her thoughts involuntarily turned to the thing that caused her apprehension that morning. If she concentrated hard enough, she could still feel the tickling of unease at back of her mind.

With bleary eyes, Tomoyo looked around her. Just as expected, she was nestled in Eriol's arms. He was having a conversation with Spinel, though for the life of her, she could not hear a single coherent word. Suddenly dizzy, she looked to her left at the passing trees. She noted with mild surprise that the shapes were blurred until all she could see was one massive emerald wall, the tree stumps occasionally showing as dark splotches. She thought she saw something move, but she was convinced that it was nothing more than their own shadows and a lot of imagination on her part.

Her eyes became watery, though she couldn't determine whether it was because she was crying or because she was feeling so light-headed. She couldn't help but slump into Eriol's chest. She received a slightly worried glance from her riding partner, but she waved off his concern. She could hear the conversation between Spinel and Eriol turn to her, but she didn't heed whatever they were saying; she let their voices lull her to a light sleep...

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When she came to, Tomoyo found herself lying on the ground, bundled in layers upon layers of blankets. She noted that it was considerably dark, and wondered for how long she'd been out. Fighting back another wave of dizziness, Tomoyo forced her weary limbs to move and sat up from her cocoon of blankets. A couple of feet away from her, clustered around a small fire, were Eriol and his guardians having a whispered conversation. 

Crawling on weak appendages, she reached the rest of the company. Eriol and the guardians looked worriedly at her once they noticed her presence. All at once, they began pelting questions at her. 

"Whoa, there! Slow down; I only have one mouth and two ears, so if you'll excuse me, I will answer one question at a time." The girl said a bit irritably. "And before you begin, yes, I am perfectly fine. There is nothing wrong with me and I feel all better," she said; though it wasn't technically a lie, it wasn't the truth either.

"Do you know what happened to you?" Asked Eriol worriedly. 

Tomoyo shook her head, which intensified the headache that was swelling up, not that she would tell that to the rest of the group. "All I remember is feeling woozy and then waking up here."

The others looked at each other uncomfortably. "Do you remember anything strange?" Spinel asked.

Again, the girl shook her head. "How long was I asleep? Did anything happen during that time?"

"You were unconscious for about five hours now. You were shivering, so we wrapped you the blankets." Supplied Nakuru. "You should have seen the look on master's face--"

The guardian was cut off by a smack on the head. Nakuru glared at Spinel, and turned away pouting.

Choosing to ignore the unmistakable hint in the guardian's tone, Tomoyo said, "Well, there is no point to dwell on it now, so why not enjoy the rest of the evening?" 

Relieved, Nakuru began talking animatedly about a cute thing he saw that day. Eriol, for his part, was very relieved to see that she was well. He remembered feeling slight concern when she slumped in her seat. The concern then spread to worry and fear, as she suddenly felt limp in his arms. He was beginning to panic when they couldn't wake her up, despite vigorous shaking and hollering. He could swear he broke down when he saw that her cherub-like face was unusually pale and her bright amethyst eyes were dull and lifeless....

Shaking his head, he forced his mind from the scary thoughts. All that mattered now was that she was now safe and in perfect condition. He promised himself silently that he would never let that happen. 

They spent the rest of the afternoon by chatting about this and that, mostly about home and the first things they would do once they got there. It was determined that Spinel, once he left this realm, would find a sanctuary somewhere in Tibet and spend the remainder of his life trying to meditate Nakuru's presence out of his life. Nakuru would go up to Touya and propose marriage (this statement brought out a few giggles from Tomoyo). Eriol and Tomoyo decided that the first thing they would do would be to take a nice, long, hot bath -- though not together.

Suddenly, Tomoyo perked up. Standing up, she walked to the back of the camp, where their stuff was. Nobody noticed her leave; they were so engrossed in their conversation. 

Walking towards the source of the something that caught her attention, she paid little heed to the fact that she was straying farther and farther away from the camp. Unable to keep reign of her curiosity, she followed something deeper into the forest. The shadows were growing around her, dancing with glee, combining together until they became one mass of darkness. Tomoyo, however, noticed neither this nor the worried calls of her companions somewhere behind her. 

All Tomoyo knew in that instance, was that beckoning, begging *something*. All thoughts and worries were erased from her mind. She no longer remembered who she was or what she was, only that she was there, now, and that she had to get to the source of the 'Something'. Somewhere in the back of her mind she could recall people, conversations, feelings, but it was not important; nothing was important compared to that feeling of the 'something' summoning her.

Tomoyo began to hear sounds, it reminder her of drums. Battle drums. She felt herself swaying to the rhythm of them, thought she didn't know why, nor did she care. She felt the beat vibrate off the trees and crash on her ten fold, enveloping her, choking her. During all that time, though, she did nothing but walk to the core of the 'Something'. In her quest, she did not hear the sounds of feet running nor the screams that escaped her own throat.

Suddenly, the trees and the shadows parted, revealing a creature glowing with it's own luminance. At that moment, the being was the Sun to her; its brightness drew back the shadows and gave her a sense of security. She stood in one spot for some time, wondering if she should approach the animal, too afraid to scare it, not wanting to spoil its perfection by touching it. Something, perhaps the same unidentifiable force that summoned her, propelled her forward toward the graceful animal. 

As Tomoyo neared it, the creature picked up its head from where it was grazing, and looked straight at her. Tomoyo gasped involuntarily as the being of light focused its gaze on her. In the black depths that were the animal's eyes, Tomoyo saw strange and beautiful things. She saw herself often, though she did not know why or how she got into those positions, she also saw other people, and the nagging sensation at the pit of her stomach dictated that she should know those people, but she didn't. 

She was about to touch the animal's silky mane when sudden cold gripped her. She felt freezing hands on her, searing her skin when they make contact with her. Tomoyo felt her mind fog over; the swirling mass of darkness that enveloped her moments before surrounded her once again, only with more force and determination. She felt fear spread through her, chilling her even more and making her numb. Tomoyo wondered if it was death that she was experiencing. 

All of a sudden, the fog and the white creature disappeared. She found herself sitting in the middle of a moon-bathed meadow, the stars twinkling at her. She began to wonder whether what she had experienced was nothing more than a really vivid dream, when movement from around her startled her out of her musing. She gasped at what she saw.

Surrounding her were hundreds of shadowing figures, many of whom were pointing scimitars and arrows at her....

(tbc)

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(1) Bellum and Letum -- Latin for war and death. I don't know if the myth is true or not.


	8. Master of the Wood

A/N: Sorry for the late update. I ran into some problems with this chappie. I feel an author's block coming on....I need some Advil.... Enjoy!

Disclaimers: What would I do if I owned Eriol and Co.? What wouldn't I do ^^?

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Part III: Trials: Master of the Wood

__

'Something's wrong.'

The sudden thought hit Eriol out of the blue nothingness. _'Something is definitely wrong. I can feel it.' _He tried to erase the thought, but it wouldn't budge despite all other provocative thinking. He tried to distract himself by fidgeting, but in the end result, the worry did not ebb, it intensified.

It was at that time that he noticed that Tomoyo wasn't beside him anymore. Getting to his feet hurriedly, he began to frantically search the campsite for her, his guardians joining his a minute later. Scrupulous searching determined that the girl wasn't anywhere in a ten feet radius. The group headed for the thicket of trees, hollering the girl's name, their voices magnified by the silence of the night.

The three chose to split up, their pursuit would be much more fruitful that way. Eriol crept carefully through the trees, trying to make as little noise as possible. Anxiety gripped him, overwhelming him, choking him until he could barely breathe. He imagined a thousands different possibilities of what happened to his friend, all of which intensified his apprehension. 

His throat tight and painful with some unidentified emotion, he yelled out her name to the infinite darkness.

"TOMOYO!!" _'Oh, where is she?!'_

"TOMOYO!! Where are you?!" _'Please don't let anything happen to her...'_

He heard the voices of his guardians mimicking his calls, and with a sense of hopelessness determined that they, too, did not find her. He did not loose faith in his own abilities though. Concentrating all his power and knowledge into one, he sought the vibrant mauve aura that belonged to Tomoyo. He found it! It was very faint and a long distance away, but it was enough for him to trace her. Eriol almost wept in sheer joy at the notion that she was alive.

A scream in the deadly silence spoiled his relieved thoughts. Looking ahead, where he reckoned the cry came from; he broke into a run. A vibrating noise suddenly broke his train of thought, and he stopped to ponder the source of the interruption. The noise began pulsing in his ears; he forgot for an instance that he had a quarry to catch. His entire being was besieged with the strange melody, lulling him to a stupor-like state.

The sound reminded him of drums. _'How odd...'_ he thought, though he would not question it. Suddenly, the sounds intensified, deafening him. It was no longer a rhythmic beat soothing him, it was a myriad of throbbing, mismatched sounds put together. He could feel cold gripping him, but he refused to give up. Finally remembering his lost companion, he steadied himself on his feet and made his way forward, trying his hardest to ignore the beat.

He stopped in a meadow where he found his friend on her knees reaching out to something. He called her name, but she did not give any indication of hearing him or even his presence. He rushed to her, shaking her, calling out to her. His efforts were in vain, however, for the girl's face still held that little bemused smile, her eyes distant and bleary.

Rough hands gripped him. Eriol tried to fight them, to struggle free and run to his dazed companion, but he knew that it was futile to fight them; there were too many of them and they were bounding him with something. He thought he heard his guardians behind him, and after a minute his suspicions were affirmed; both of them were brought in tied.

Seething, he watched as the shadowy figures pointed sharp objects to Tomoyo. He screamed something unintelligible and struggled harder against the strains on his neck when he saw a thin trickle of blood on Tomoyo's exposed shoulder. Eriol saw the girl slump backwards slightly, to fully sit on her knees, and begin to whimper. Chocking down a pain filled sob, he fought with his captors even harder. 

Eriol witnessed with anguished clarity as awareness dawned onto the girl. At that moment he wanted noting more than to cradle her, to protect her from these unseen people. Fear crossed Tomoyo's features are she noticed her hostile surroundings. She hugged her knees to her chest, feeling abandoned, tears swelling in her eyes. That useless look on her face nearly tore Eriol apart.

Still struggling, they dragged Eriol and the rest deeper into the shadows. On the way, someone blindfolded them; Nakuru was also gagged because he wouldn't keep his mouth shut. After what seemed to be forever in the dark, their captors stopped. Mildly curious, Eriol tried to remove the blindfold but remembered that his hands were also bound. 

He felt being pushed to the ground, his captors being non-too gentle on his already bruised limbs. After that he heard shuffling and the rustling of fabric and a door being opened and closed. Once he was certain that he was without any unwanted guests, Eriol removed the blindfold and sat back, prompted by a wall.

He wondered where Tomoyo and the others were. He winced when he heard a high-pitched bellow; Nakuru was in a cell adjoining his. Sighing, he lay down on the floor (which seemed to be made of a semi-soft material) and closed his eyes. Eriol wondered what would happen to them in the morning; whether they would be tortured or simply executed on sight...

Finally, exhaustion and fear took reign of his senses and sent him on a dreamless sleep ride...

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When he came to, Eriol felt sun on his face. He mumbled something groggily and turned to stuff his head under the pillow; he hated mornings. When no pillow greeted his face, he remembered what happened that night and quickly sat up. 

He was located in some kind of a room that was made up of branches and leaves, hence the sunlight. Eriol shook his head fiercely at this discovery; he did not remember the walls of plants. _'This must be another dream,' _he resolved, shaking his head once again. After much pinching and head shaking, he only determined that it was, indeed, real. 

Eriol scanned his memories for some possible clues on his whereabouts, but came up just a scant short on answers. He remembered seeing Tomoyo hugging her knees to her chest and the tears swelling in her eyes. He suddenly felt an urge to find her, to smooth away her fears and all traces of tears marring her delicate features. He tried to yell, hoping that she would hear him from wherever she was, but he found that his voice was too hoarse to make a sound.

Slouching against the wall, he was beginning to count the breaks in the wall, when a hiss broke his concentration. Frowning, he continued his calculation. Before he got to thirty-six holes and fifty-nine twigs, he was interrupted by the same hissing sound. Rolling his eyes, he continued with the count, only to hear that same hissing a moment on.

Truly frustrated now, he said as loudly as his voice allowed him to, "Oh, will you just be quiet?! Can't you see that I'm busy?!" 

He received a series of snorts and grunts in response. By this time, Eriol was beginning to question his own sanity. "I don't suppose you know where I am?" He called out to his imaginary hissing friend.

"I know as much as you know, master." A female voice replied.

"Nakuru?! It was YOU?!" He nearly bellowed.

"Who did you think it was? An imaginary hissing friend?" Nakuru could barely contain a chuckle. 

"N-no! I thought you were Spinel!" Eriol stammered, reddening.

A slight cough came from somewhere to his right and was followed by a very miffed sounding, "nice to know you're alive as well".

Flabbergasted, Eriol could do nothing but sputter. After he thoroughly apologized to Spinel and a hysterical Nakuru later, they were discussing their capture. Ten minutes of conversing later, they determined that they were captured, were being held against their will, and had walls of plants surrounding them. 

Eriol was in the middle of a sentence when the "door" to his cell opened to reveal a darkly clad man, his jailor. His guardians were apparently having visitors of their own because Eriol could hear rustling sounds from where he supposed their cells were located. 

The warden gripped Eriol's wrists tightly and dragged the struggling boy out of the chamber. Still fighting his captor, though vainly, Eriol had a double take when he saw the world outside his prison. The two of them stepped into a platform of greenery, a railing of branches surrounding the periphery of the plinth. From what he could see, below them was a forty-foot drop to the ground below. 

He guessed that his prison was perched on a tree, but whenever he looked up or down, the green did not give way to either the sky or the ground. Taking a second look, he saw dome-like structures (much like the one he was in) suspended on other trees. He suspected that they were dwellings, but he wouldn't bet all of Clow Reed's fortune on it. 

Eriol heard Nakuru raising a raucous behind him, but a gag in the mouth once again silenced him. When he looked behind him, Eriol could see his other guardian hovering on a short leash near his captive. Tomoyo was nowhere to be seen. Eriol's own jailer pushed him to move forward, and so he did, being mindful of the injuries committed to them for later purposes. 

They were escorted down a winding roped pathway, made from the same sturdy material everything else was made of. Once he was given an opportunity, Eriol noticed that everything from the tiniest posts to the large sculptures that were carved into the thick bark of the trees were handmade with meticulous precision. As he passed one dwelling, he saw a string of small white flowers interwoven into the house's walls, blending together to create one glorious sculptural marvel.

This place was so real in it's closeness to nature, it seemed almost ethereal in its simple beauty. Eriol was overwhelmed with the magnificence and breathtaking serenity of his prison. He was overcome with a sudden longing to spend the rest of his natural lifetime in this place. 

Their "road" and all other "roads" eventually wound down to one grand place. Eriol gasped at its grandeur. Great spires and archways is rich mahogany, vines and the same little white flowers occasionally peeking through the intricate carvings, greeted them. Tall pillars of carved wood stood on every side of a huge raised dais. There, on a glorious throne engraved with strange patterns, sat a man. Eriol could not tell whether he was young or old, but the majestic beauty of the stranger was beyond even him. 

The man had long fair hair sweeping past his shoulders. He had a pale pointed face with a strong jaw line and high cheekbones. He wore a simple vanilla coloured robe emblazoned with tiny blossoms. He seemed almost weary, but his head was held high and regally. His etherealness reminded Eriol of a beacon of light. The only thing that stood out on the man's appearance were his dark eyes, glowing with wisdom and power. 

He slowly stood up from his throne, his robes swishing with the motion. He let his eyes travel over his guests, penetrating their souls, delving in their hearts. Fluidly, he spread his arms out to them, palms open. With a regal air, he slowly said, "I am King Ruminar, Master of the Wood (1). Welcome, strangers, to Tradeth (2)."

"So capturing and holding us prisoners is your way of showing hospitality?" Nakuru snorted, though he could not keep the awe from his voice. 

"Forgive us. We are in constant fear of siege; we thought you might have been sent by the State." The King replied melodiously, and the company suddenly did not harbour any hostility towards their captors. Somewhere along those lines, the group determined that they were in the company o f elves. 

"Do you know where our companion is?" Eriol asked. As of yet, he did not see any sign of Tomoyo and he was beginning to worry. 

"Your female friend is currently in the Healing Wing." Ruminar replied in monotone. "She acquired minor scratches during the chase and is in need of rest."

"May we see her?" Eriol asked more urgently. He suddenly felt a need to see her, to know that she was, indeed, in perfect health.

The King looked at him again, his eyes blazing with something indecipherable. Eriol suppressed a shiver. It felt as if his entire being was laid open before this man, his every thought and feeling examined. This made Eriol shrink back in unease; he did not relish the thought of being so easily read. 

"Yes of course." The King replied after a pause. "My chamberlain will take you there." He gestured to tall elf, also neither young nor old, with dark hair spread into two sections and draping over his shoulders. 

The elf, whose name was Elrad (3), led them down another roped pathway to what they assumed was the Healing Wing. While they were walking, Elrad explained to the company that they were the forest spirits. As the legend told, when the world was young, the Earth created many creatures, some of which were made to perform certain tasks. The forest spirits (or elves, as known in Eriol's realm) were created to protect the natural aspect of the world. The spirits were gentle and usually kept away from humans, as the humans kept away from the spirits.

"Lately, though, mankind has come to our forest without permission. They cut down trees; they destroy our homes. The State of Gelidum has even gone far enough to demolish one of most sacred temples." Elrad said, his brow creasing in worry.

"Why would they want to do something like that? Unless you have somehow insulted them, they have no reason to attack your homes." Spinel said from his perch on Nakuru's shoulder.

Their guide did not answer, but looked to the fragments of the sky above. Soon, they reached the Healing Wing. Eriol rushed in first, stopping in the doorframe to look at his bedridden friend. Tomoyo was unconscious, her arm bandaged and her brows knitted in an obvious nightmare. It pained him to see her like this; Eriol felt somehow responsible for her state.

Nakuru and Spinel decided to keep back and give their master some privacy with the girl. His throat tight, he walked to her bedside. Eriol knelt beside her sleeping form and grasped one of her small hands in his. Caressing her knuckles with his thumbs, he took the hand and pressed it to his lips. 

__

'It was all my fault,' he berated himself. _'If I'd only kept an eye on her, she wouldn't have left and gotten hurt. I was all my fault.'_

He felt pressure on his palm, opening his eyes (he didn't even realize closing them), he looked at her. He felt another squeeze on his hand. Relieved, he noticed that her eyes were partially open. He reached to brush a strand of hair away from her face, smiling tenderly.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he kept on repeating.

"No, it was my fault. I didn't realize what I was doing," Tomoyo corrected him after the initial shock of wakefulness. 

"But I should have --"

"No. What's done is done. I do not blame you for anything, because you did nothing wrong," She said, leaning into his caressing hand. 

Outside, looking through the circular window, were Nakuru and Spinel. "I can't believe I stooped so low as to actually *spy* on my master," Spinel said while shaking his head.

"Oh pish-posh!" Nakuru exclaimed gleefully. "Did you see that?! I was bloody sick making! I told you they were perfect for each other!"

Spinel simply shook his little furry head again, and peered once again into the room. The two youngsters inside were still making googly eyes at each other. He suppressed a smirk; they would make a perfect couple, and then he would have someone to protect him from Nakuru. 

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(1) Ruminar -- means 'Dusky Meadow' in Elvish.

(2) Tradeth -- means 'Eternal Tree' also in Elvish.

(3) Elrad -- means 'Green Leaf' (Legolas' last name^^) in Elvish. 

Okay, so I'm a bit high on Tolkien's work, so sue me. This was a bad chapter, hope I didn't confuse anyone with it. Please forgive me, for I did not give the elves enough credit. I'm rather new to writing an cannot, for the life of me, capture the true beauty of elves. Sorry for the late posting again... 


	9. Along the Shores of Arihel

A/N: Sorry for another delay, but my brain is filled with nothing but certain cuties in matador pants.....Mind you, this is unbetaed version. I was thinking about illustrating some of the main characters, like their costumes and such. Whadda ya think, is it worth trying? Thanks goes to the reviewers, you're da best. Here, have an invisible lolly! Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: *sob* *hic* I don't own it, alright? *sob* why do you have to be so cruel? I have needs, too....

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Part III: Trials: Along the Shores of Arihel

"What do you think Sakura-chan is doing now?"

Tomoyo's question interrupted his musings, looking up from his morning meal, he focused his azure gaze on her. "Hm?"

Sighing, she repeated her question. She always hated repeating herself. Not waiting for him to respond, Tomoyo said, "I think that she and Li-kun are on a nice, romantic date." Looking off into the distance with stars in her eyes, she continued, "I bet she's wearing that pretty pink dress I made her. Ohohoho! Syaoran must look so cute! Oh, I wish I was there!!"

Shaking his head, Eriol tuned her out. He had to agree with her, his descendant and the Card Mistress would look adorable. Right now, though, his mind was too thick with sleep to respond coherently to her squeals of delight. So, he simply slumped into his seat until his face was nearly in the breakfast bowl and murmured incoherently. 

The company has been staying in Tradeth for a couple of days, and though they were anxious to get back to their own world, they did not have the heart to leave a place of such ancient beauty. Every day was filled with awe-aspiring scenery; Tomoyo felt like Alice in Wonderland. Everything felt like a dream, and she, like everything else, was just a tiny part of the fantasy. 

During their stay, they discovered that less than one hundred elves lived in Tradeth. This brought unspeakable sorrow to her. She also took a special notice that there were no children in this place. Somewhere in a deep corner of her consciousness, she knew that the elves were dying. It pained her to know that something so beautiful was going to be gone one day. 

As much as Tomoyo loved this country, she also knew that they would have to leave soon. That was why she asked some of Ruminar's personal guards to train them in combat. So far, Tomoyo was taught (and skilfully mastered) the use of throwing knifes, Eriol was trained with a sword (he was taught how to fence when he was a child), while Nakuru replied on his powers of annoyance. 

Sighing tiredly, she lay her head on her arms and contemplated her course of action for that day. They were not allowed to go to the more sacred areas of Tradeth, but otherwise, they were free to explore the surrounding area. She wondered the reason for this, but refrained from asking, fearing that she would somehow insult their host.

"What do you think we should do today?" She asked Eriol, who was still slumped in his seat.

"Mrrf.." Came his muffled reply.

"How about you two go for a walk?" Piped in Nakuru, who had been racking his brain for perfect matchmaking schemes for the past couple of days. "I already informed Elrad that you would be away."

The two perked up instantly. They knew that Nakuru never did anything without a devious, manipulating reason. Still, the suggestion had a nice ring to it, and Tomoyo did want to spend time with Eriol without pestering guardians. After having Nakuru assure them that there were no secret schemes behind this, the two youngsters agreed to the suggestion. Looking suspiciously at Nakuru, the two stood up and followed the sloping pathway to the ground.

"Now look what you did. They're on to us! If I believed in such things, I would swear I was cursed!" Growled Spinel and returned to examining the ancient runes on a near-by pillar.

"Oh, Suppi-chan! Didn't anyone tell you not to swear?" Nakuru asked while giggling insanely. Spinel refused to comment and continued with his ignoring of the other guardian.

Meanwhile, Tomoyo and Eriol were strolling underneath the trees. Tomoyo listened to the crunching of leaves and twigs underneath her feet as she walked. She often did this to savour the complexity and simplicity of nature. They did not speak, and yet, Tomoyo felt that no words were necessary. The wind rustling through the leaves high above, the twittering of birds and the rhythmic sounds of their feet on the ground was enough sensations for her. 

She loved this place, no matter how much she missed her home; it felt as if she belonged there. She suddenly had an urge to run barefoot across a sunny meadow, to feel the grass underneath her feet and the sun on her face. The temptation was seeping into her thoughts, overriding every other thought. On impulse, she bolted.

Eriol didn't notice that his companion was gone until he no longer felt her warm aura near his. He looked worriedly around him. The beginnings of apprehension were starting to spread through his belly. _'Oh no! Not again!' _he thought. _'If anything happens to her...'_

He began to frantically search for her; the now familiar fear creeping into his system. It gripped his stomach and refused to let go, overwhelming him. He heard laughter in the distance. He froze, his heart beat picking up speed, _'...laughter...?...Tomoyo...' _Eriol released a breath he didn't realise he was holding and hurriedly followed the sound.

Pursuing the musical laughter, beyond the towering trees, he came to a winding stone stairway. The stones were in various stages of dilapidation, some had shrubs growing between the cracks, others were either completely destroyed or close to. It was obvious that the pathway had not been used for a long time. Great pillars carved to resemble human likeness stood along the steps, guarding whoever wandered its' path. 

Eriol looked around; he had never been to this place before. Another bout of mirth filled the woods, it came from beyond the stairway. Braving the crumpled stones, Eriol moved forward, towards the ringing laughter. Carefully picking his way through the rubble, he missed the sounds of rushing water up ahead. A melodious giggle startled him; Eriol tripped on a root and fell very painfully on the steps. 

Rubbing his injured rear end to soothe the hurt, he got to his feet. Grumbling under his breath, he swore revenge on the perpetrator of this evil crime. Growling, he marched on. The trees and the statues suddenly ended. Eriol stood transfixed under a canopy of leaves. Tomoyo was sitting on a grassy shore of a quiet river, dipping her feet in the crystalline water. Her blouse was off one of her peaches-and-cream shoulders, exposing too much skin than Eriol could handle. Her unbound hair was swaying with the rhythm of the wind. He could not see her eyes from where he was standing, but he was certain that the radiance in them was addictive. 

Another girlish giggle escaped her lips and Eriol realised that he was staring. His mouth going dry, Eriol forced himself to move his jelly-like limbs. He stumbled on a rock and nearly went sailing again. Seeing his sudden clumsiness, Tomoyo giggled from her spot on the shore. Swinging her shapely legs out of the water and tucking them behind her, she beckoned him toward her. Eriol awkwardly sat beside her, taking off his boots while doing so. 

"Is this where you ran off to. You might as well have asked me." Eriol said grouchily

"Sorry, I forgot." The girl answered sheepishly.

"Forgot?! How do you forget someone as handsome as me?!" He retorted, sounding flabbergasted.

Shying away from his penetrating gaze, Tomoyo turned to watch the water rippling with the breeze. The clear sky reflected in the water, mirroring the deep shade of blue. She looked to the stretch of trees on the other shore, the distant treetops barely visible against the sky. The sun glistened on the water, creating a million tiny gold specks of light, blinding her. Sighing contentedly, Tomoyo relaxed back to enjoy the view.

Eriol noticed the subtle change in his companion and wondered the source of it, but he decided to play along. "I've heard from Elrad that this is the River Arihel (1)." He paused, looked at her and continued with his story. "They say that there once lived an elven maiden by the same name. Her hair resembled spun gold and her heart was twice as beautiful. She fell in love with a human. He went to war, but promised her to come back. Arihel waited for her lover faithfully; he did not return. Overfilled with sorrow, she stood on the shores of this very river and plunged into the murky depths. Those golden shimmers you see there? Those are the only reminders of her."

He waited for a response from her, but got none. "Well, what do think?" He prodded.

"I think you just made that up." Tomoyo replied, vainly trying to muster a death glare. 

"I didn't! I never lie! Honest!" Eriol exclaimed.

He only received an annoyed sounding huff. "I would never lie to you!" He hurried to correct his mistake.

"Fine. Whatever you say." She still did not sound convinced.

Shacking his head while sighing, Eriol asked, "So, what *are* you doing here?"

Tomoyo looked to the water once again, sighing she reached into her storage room of memories. "I remember how Sakura-chan and I when we were kids always went to beach during the summer. She would always take of her shoes before we got out of the car, and we finally got there, she could take off like there's no tomorrow. I would usually find her knee high in water. And I would always berate her for getting her pretty skirt all wet."

Eriol looked to his companion; the sun created a halo of light around her dark head. She looked almost angelic, if it weren't for her downcast eyes and the slight frown on her lips. He chose not to speak; this was her moment to reminisce, and he was going to give her his undivided attention.

"She would always laugh at my scolding." Tomoyo continued. "Then she would grab my hand and drag me into the water with her. I would screech and complain about having my dress ruined; she would just laugh. And then I'd laugh, too." She paused, glancing at Eriol. "You must think I'm crazy, huh? Heh, I have to admit, I'd think so, too."

"I don't think you're anything but yourself." He replied honestly.

"If I didn't know you were a conniving, evil creature, I would have thought you were sweet." Tomoyo said teasingly.

"Who, me?! I'm insulted!!" He exclaimed, puffing out his cheeks.

"I'm kidding! Your the most kindest, friendliest person I ever met!" She said, crossing her fingers behind her back.

"I better be..." he said grumpily. Eriol then turned serious, wiping away all traces of mirth off his face. "You miss her don't you?"

"Hai. I miss her terribly." She answered. "It's almost as if I lost some very import part of myself. As if everything has been ripped away from me. Empty, you know?"

"Yeah, I know the feeling." He replied solemnly, looking out to the water.

They both remained silent, watching the water swirl by. It looked as if the sun was touching the stream, showering brilliant rays through the entire body of water. It looked like a river of gold, Eriol mused. He looked to his friend, seeing her eyes glow softly with the added light, her hair cascading down her back in raven rivulets. She truly did look like a melancholy angel. 

Two little creatures popped up on Eriol's shoulder. One with a pristine white robe and tiny wings, a circlet of light above its head. The other wearing dark leather and miniature horns adorning it's head. The two bore a remarkable him. Eriol heard of them being described as his chibi angel and devil; sometimes referred to as his consciousness (A/N: I just couldn't resist ^___^). 

The one with the horns poked its little pitchfork into Eriol's neck and hissed 'Now's yer chance to strike big! Go for it!' The other creature shook its head at its counterpart's uncouthness, and said, 'You are her friend. Comfort her; she needs your support.' The other being snorted and began to rant about sissy partners. 

Eriol heeded neither of the two creatures; he looked out to the water, occasionally stealing a glimpse of the girl beside him. The creatures left eventually, seeing as to how they were going to be ignored anyway. Tomoyo scooted closer to him, keeping her eyes on the golden ripples.

"Is there anyone you miss from back home?" She asked tenderly.

"Well..." he paused, choosing the right words. "....I miss Sakura-chan, of course, and my cute descendant. I miss having Nakuru chase after Touya, and having Keroberus for luncheon...But, I really don't have anyone close to me, no family, no friends besides our group, no one."

"Oh. What about Mizuki-sensei? I thought you were close." Tomoyo asked testily.

"We were. At least I though we were." Eriol replied his voice slightly tight. "She came up to me one day and said it was over between us, said we just weren't meant to be. She left for Australia, and I haven't heard from her since." 

"Is that why you wanted to leave Tomoeda? Because it reminded you too much of her?"

Again, he was amazed at how easily she could read him. Grinning lopsidedly, he said, "You could say that. I also wanted to leave because a certain dark-haired girl posed a threat to my clean reputation."

"You started it." She reminded him.

"Aa. So I did." He said, still grinning. "It wasn't my fault, though, that you were so easily irritated." 

"Say that to me when I'm up and in a hurting mood." The girl threatened.

Eriol laughed in his strong tenor. "See, you're irritated! And it took what? One sentence!" Another high chortle followed.

Puffing out her cheeks childishly, Tomoyo turned back to the water. "You're incorrigible! I'm sorry, though. I didn't know about Mizuki-sensei and you...."

"Hey, it's not like I will never love again. Who knows, maybe I'm already in love and I don't really know it yet!" He laughed at what he said; the thought was ludicrous. Shortly after, Tomoyo joined in his merriment. 

Without warning, she leaned her head on his shoulder, sighing. Eriol felt heat creeping up his neck, tinting his collarbone a nice hue of crimson. "Promise me that you'll tell me when you find the right girl?" She asked sheepishly.

"Promise. You'll be the first to know. And then later, I'll let you decorate our wedding. And I'll make you the Godmother of my kids." He said without really thinking.

Tomoyo giggled at his statement. "You make me sound like some old hag in worn grab."

He laughed, too. "I do, don't I?"

The two broke into a bout of musical laughter, their feet dipping in molten gold. The laughter was followed by joking discussions about this and that, mostly that. Tomoyo and Eriol sat on the grassy shore well into the evening, watching the sun sink into the water and cover everything in refreshing darkness. Only when the sky was peppered with tiny stars and the twin moons rose high above did they leave, and that was because they were summoned for dinner. 

They did not notice, nor would they care much, that something was watching them from the shrubbery. The creature had its sight of the two since that morning. It was afraid that their elven friends would capture it, so it waited, bidding its time. It followed them there, and listened to their conversation, storing away any and all information; in the end everything had a use, and if one knew how to use it properly, then true power was not far away. 

When the two youngsters left, the creature remained, afraid to be seen by the elves. It waited until it was sure that no one would ambush it. Then it came out of the bushes, shying away from the bright light provided by the moons. Dusting its callous hands on its trousers, the creature left the clearing and went home, hiding behind the trees at any sign of elves. 

When it got home, the creature took off it's heavy cloak and boots and sat in front of the fireplace. Digging out a worn out piece of paper from its shirt pocket, it read the contents. Sighing, it folded the note back into a neat square and stuffed it back into the pocket. _'Master would be pleased'_, the creature thought, propping it's legs against a footstool. Master was always pleased when something was going his way. 

(tbc)

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(1) Arihel -- 'Golden Tears' in Elvish

*cough* corn *cough* Well, another chapter done, and I still have no idea where to go from here. Oh well, this project o' mine was doomed to fail from the beginning. Sorry, I have no sense of humour -___-; and I also can't spell....


	10. Mirror of Decepio

A/N: Wow. I'm a little late with the posting aren't I? Sorry; school just started and I had lots of problems with this chappie. Hope you like! 

Disclaimers: I no own, you no sue. Capiche? 

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Part III: Trials: Mirror of Decepio

Sakura skated down the sidewalk on her way to class; occasionally passing some poor souls who had to go to school like herself. She sighed, letting the dizziness subdue to a minimal as the morning breeze brushed at her bangs. She always loved mornings, even though she was never awake to fully enjoy them.

Sakura inhaled the morning air, letting it wash over her senses. Some cherry blossom petals got tangled in her short blond tresses, and she brushed them off thoughtlessly. Rollerblading around a sharp turn, she was brought into an alleyway filled with cherry blossom tress in full bloom. She loved spring. She loved all aspects of the season, the mood, the trees, the very feeling in the air and her birthday.

The cheerful girl spotted her school, Seijou High, not far off, and sped up, not wanting to keep her boyfriend waiting. After changing into her indoor shoes and disposing of all of her unnecessary belongings, she headed for her classroom. As Sakura strolled down the hallways, she scanned the faces of other students, unknowingly searching one particular visage. 

With a cheeky smile, Sakura opened the door to her classroom, systematically waving to her boyfriend, and walked in. She cheerfully skipped down the rows of desks, heading towards her seat in the back of the room, occasionally saying a warm "Ohayo" to her friends. Once she reached her designated desk, she dropped her backpack on the floor and gave her boyfriend a chaste peck on the cheek as a way of greeting. 

"O-ohayo Sakura-chan," Syaoran said meekly, colouring slightly around the ears. 

Smiling sweetly, Sakura plopped back to her seat, fiddling nervously with her honey locks. Chewing on her lip in trepidation, the girl began to ask questions upon questions about the complex math test that they were going to have that day. Syaoran patiently explained to her the differences and variations between linear and non-linear lines. 

When there was a break in his tutoring, Sakura asked, "Are we missing someone?"

Syaoran looked at her funnily, but said nothing and continued with his prepping of her. Chewing on her lip even more fiercely, Sakura began to fidget with the pages of Syaoran's notebook, not paying attention to his questionings. A thin line of frustration appeared between her delicate eyebrows, making her appear different than her usual jovial self. 

"I feel as if there is something very important missing," She persisted after Syaoran gave up on tutoring her.

"What do you mean?" He asked with a sigh.

"I don't know. It just feels like a large part of myself is gone. Like someone took it away." Sakura answered, the slight frown growing on her face. 

"Perhaps you just didn't have enough sleep." Syaoran said, trying to ease her worry. He did not like when she was bothered with something, it meant that he had to get rid of that certain problem. "I always feel like in the gutter after a night of studying."

Giving Syaoran a grateful smile and a playful pat on the arm, Sakura continued with her previous fidgeting, all trace of worry gone from her pixie face. Syaoran sighed thankfully, contented to simply listen to his girlfriend chat nonchalantly.

After a long day of school, which involved an excruciatingly hard math test, cheerleading practice and a detention, Sakura's anxiety returned. At one point, when she was sitting on a park swing, Syaoran rocking her back and forth, she felt a burning, aching sensation from deep within. She tried to talk to the Chinese boy about it, but he dismissed it as he did her earlier attempt. When she came home, after disposing of her school apparel and a little squabble with her brother, she asked Kero about it. The little guardian hovered in the air in mid thought, his paws crossed in meditative position, but after much contemplation decided that nothing was wrong and that Sakura should go to sleep earlier that night.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, the usually cheerful girl obediently did her homework and household chores. That night, after Kero finished his twelfth round of Tekken Tag 3 (A/N:...hehe), Sakura lay in bed, moping about nobody believing her. Sometime during the night, she woke up, which was quite unusual considering her sleeping habits. Sitting in bed and glaring as best she could at the darkness, Sakura pondered on the source of the disruption.

The nagging sensation at the pit of her stomach returned, spreading though her weary limbs and making her feel nearly faint. Laying back down into her cozy bed, Sakura shut her eyelids tightly, hoping that the feeling would miraculously disappear. Blurry images swam before her tightly closed lids. She saw strange people, both with a shock of raven hair and startling eyes, she saw other things, herself and Syaoran. Running a cool hand over the thin sheen of sweat on her forehead, she turned to her side, one image giving over to the next. 

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Tomoyo woke up with the merry chirping of the birds and the soothing whistling of the wind though the breaks in the room's interior. Stretching contentedly in her bed, she curled to her side, not wanting to give up the comfort just yet. She looked at the golden threads interweaving though her pristine nightgown (she was given it by King Ruminar as a way of welcoming). Every thread, every tiny pattern blended perfectly together, creating one magnificent work of wonder. Tomoyo, during her entire stay in the elf country, never stopped being amazed at the ingenuity of her host. Everything the elves did, whether food, clothing or otherwise, was made with loving and meticulous care. 

Stretching further, her stomach grumbled and she decided that breakfast was in order. Pulling on a cream coloured silk dress and a matching delicately embroidered robe, she walked out of her sleeping quarters. Walking gracefully down the green corridors of the guests' wing, Tomoyo almost bumped into Eriol, who was stumbling through the entry of his room. 

Looking over him, she noticed the way his hair fell haphazardly into his eyes and the sloppily donned shirt. Grinning slightly to herself, she continued on her way. Walking through an arched threshold, she entered another winding hallway with elaborate decorations. When she reached the dining area, she noted with some surprise that Nakuru and Spinel were already there, having breakfast. Shaking her head in confusion, she ambled over to them; since when did Nakuru and Spinel actually acted civil toward each other?

"Have you seen Eriol-sama?" Nakuru asked when the girl sat across from him.

"I passed him on my way here." Tomoyo answered. "Is anything wrong?"

"No, no, of course not." The guardian hastened to say. "I just wanted to ask him something."

Shaking her head once again, Tomoyo waited for her meal to be delivered by the King's servants. Finally, her breakfast was brought by a dark haired elf. Inhaling the delectable aroma, the girl set out to eat. The food (bread of some kind that had a sweet flavour and dark coloured syrup that reminded her of tea and honey) melted in her mouth, setting her taste bites aflame with the flavour. It was another thing she loved about the elves; they had astounding culinary skills. 

Just when Tomoyo was finished with the sweet bread and before she could devour an apple, the same elf that brought her meal came over to them. Silently he looked over the threesome, with something resembling boredom marking his face. He pointed to Tomoyo and beckoned her forward to follow him. Looking at her companions, Tomoyo shrugged and followed the elf.

While they were walking, Tomoyo tried to engage the man in a friendly conversation, but he remained silent, a passive expression on his face. Sighing, Tomoyo looked at the trees around her. It seemed as if very few of the elves could speak their language, and those that did chose not to. She did not take that as an insult; what really hurt her was the lack of interest from their host. He never seemed to care about their dealings, their problem. She thought that a creature so perfect and beautiful by nature would have enough compassion to fill an ocean.

They entered a dark pathway, a tunnel of sorts. Tomoyo looked at the path. I was more elaborate; the rails were done in intertwining patterns of softwood. The floor itself was made from smooth dark stone, something that was only allowed for the King's chambers. Lanterns were suspended as the corridor progressed, illuminating the carvings on the walls. 

Tomoyo was looking at a large mural depicting a grotesque sacrificing ritual. Shaking her head with disgust, she averted her eyes to the back of her silent companion. The tunnel soon gave way to a dull yellow light. Tomoyo found herself in an entrance to stone chamber, robed statues standing about the circular room. In the middle there stood a large granite pedestal, dark silk draped over its surface, the many candles sending slivers of tricky light across the cloth. Surrounding the podium were six equally dilapidated columns. 

Tomoyo just stood there, transfixed, slightly horrified. She felt nervous and giddy, but could not trace the source of the feeling. She did not even notice the dark haired elf leave the chamber, nor did she notice an arched doorway not too far from her right. She was startled when a white figure came up from behind her, its clothes brushing by her like mist against wet skin. Clutching her hand to her heart, Tomoyo followed the figure further inside the room.

On a second and closer inspection, Tomoyo noticed that there was a velvet-upholstered chair between two shadowy statues. The candles she thought were the main light source, were actually miniscule lanterns, their source of power indefinite. The air itself was thick, musky with a very peculiar, though undistinguishable, air. A velvet curtain shielded other passages from view, presumably like the one she came from. 

Suddenly, Tomoyo felt old. She could not explain the feeling, could not discern its source or reason for it. She simply felt ancient, as if the entire weight of the room bore down on her, burying her beneath layers of stone and mystery. Her legs felt like perpetual jelly, so she sat down on the floor to stop the quaking of her knees. Lowering her head closer to her knees, her hair obscuring her face from view, Tomoyo heaved a shaky sigh. 

The figure in white stopped in front of the pedestal, removing its hood while turning around to face the distraught girl. A woman with long silver hair cascading in waves down her back gazed down her straight nose at the girl. Cold blue eyes stared back at Tomoyo's, the elf maiden's jaw clenched tightly, lips held in a firm line. 

"Welcome, Mistress," the woman said, her voice cold yet oddly appealing, slow and rich of knowledge and the Elvish tongue. 

Tomoyo looked at the woman, tucking her knees closer to her body, arms snaking to hold the limbs for comfort. "What do you want from me?" The girl asked, suddenly afraid. 

The woman looked at her, the cold eyes piercing Tomoyo's soul. The woman's lips curled slightly at the corners in a semblance of a smile, a cruel smile, at that. "I will not harm you child. Come," this was followed by the lady extending her hands to the girl on the floor. 

Tomoyo obeyed, though she did not know why. Walking slowly, carefully towards the woman, Tomoyo took the elf's hands, and reeled. The hands were icy cold and had a surprisingly strong grip. The touch tarnished Tomoyo's skin, branding the soft flesh with an odd tingling sensation.

"I am Casali (1), the Oracle of the Order, little one," the woman continued. "It was I who summoned you here."

"Why?" The girl asked, he voice trembling slightly.

Something crossing as a smirk and a humourless smile passed Casali's features, marring her face with an intricate play of shadows. "You are needed," she simply said, the words rolling opulently between her pale lips. Tomoyo suppressed a shudder, turning away from the white figure before her, withdrawing her hands from the other's hands.

It was then that she noticed that Casali and herself were not the only beings in the dimly lit room. In a shadowy section of the room, in front of a draped passageway, stood three elves, all with golden hair and rich jade robes. All three had their golden heads bowed respectfully, but still managing to retain their dignity. They seemed to radiate a ray of sheer brilliance, not something visible, but something that Tomoyo just felt. Her heart leapt in joy, filled with a calm determination.

The lady also noticed their guests, and silently beckoned them forward. "They are the three syndicate of the Oracle. This," she said whilst pointing to the tallest of the three, "is Solaer. And these are his brothers, Solaro and Solitae (2)," Casali said, indicating the other two. "They will be assisting you."

Tomoyo looked perplexed. She had never heard of an Oracle, neither did she hear of any syndicate. It was beyond her ability to comprehend why such a group would want her assistance. Looking in the general direction of the elves, she noted that they seemed to be waiting for her. Flushing slightly, she glanced questioningly at the lady, a little chilled at Casali's outward lack of emotions. 

Casali motioned for Tomoyo to follow her around the pedestal, still remaining silent and distant. The woman removed the dark fabric from the granite podium, the silk fell to the floor at Tomoyo's feet, pooling like a sea of darkness with the occasional shimmering of lights. Embedded in the dark rock was a shallow circular basin with crystalline water touching its brim. Triangular and rounded patterns crossed the hard rock surface; Elvish runes scattered in odd places in fluid script. 

Tomoyo reached a tentative hand to touch the symbols, which when looked from above would show an intricate web of interloping destinies (not that she knew). When her pale digits made contact with the dark stone, she felt a cold fire run through her; up her fingers, through her arms and into the rest of her body. Drawing her hand away in a hurry and clutching it to her chest protectively. 

Whimpering slightly, she glanced at the three brothers, noting with disappointment that neither of them looked concerned. She inched closer to a column, using it as a support and protection.

"Do not be afraid, nothing will harm you," Casali said and Tomoyo instinctively rolled her eyes at the statement. 

"This is the Mirror of Decepio (3)," said Solaer in his musical voice. "It is the guide to the past."

"Through the past you will see yourself and know your future," continued Solaro.

"If you can tell what's real," finished Solitae with a brief nod to his brothers.

"Why me?" The confused girl asked.

"You are special," Casali simply stated. "We four have relied on this mirror for millennia. It showed us the past, our world as it should be. Now, we cannot see anything. Our world is dying, and while we wait for the ultimate demise, the mirror is clouded with the fog of uncertainty. Our race, our realm needs guidance for survival; we believe you might be able to see through the haze and help us."

"What do I have to do to help you?" Tomoyo asked.

"Merely look in the mirror and open your mind," one of the brothers replied.

"That's it? That is all you need from me?" The dark-haired girl was no longer afraid of the strange feelings this room roused in her, her curiosity taking the best of her. 

Casali nodded her blonde head. "That is all, child. Just look into it and open your mind."

Filled with new determination, Tomoyo untangled herself from the column she clung to and strode to stand beside Casali. She stole a glance at the three brothers, her heart singing once again, and moved closer to the middle of the pedestal. With a heavy sign and something swelling at the pit of her stomach, she leaned in for a look at the mirror.

At first she saw only the crystalline water the silver of the bottom of the basin. She then noted her face, looking frazzled and nervous, staring back at her. Looking closer, she could see the reflection of the ceiling patterns and the tiny breaks in the rocks. Sighing gratefully, Tomoyo was about to pull back when something stopped her. 

She did not know why, but she felt an urge to cry. Still looking at her reflection, her vision clouded and moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes. She saw herself reach out to brush at the swelling tears, though she did not remember wanting to do so. A single tear slid across her pale cheek and fell into the water, creating tiny ripples in the water of the mirror. 

Tomoyo watched with some amazement and horror as the "her" in the mirror brushed at another tear and looked to her right. Tomoyo could no longer see the ceiling patterns, she could, though, see the flickering of many tiny stars and the outlines of trees. Her reflection said something; her lips moving rapidly and then a small smile crossed her lips. Turning back towards Tomoyo, the reflection dabbed at another tear and put another smile on. 

The image shifted before Tomoyo could decipher what the meaning of this one was. This time, Tomoyo saw Sakura and herself outside of their school, chatting animatedly. Both of them were smiling and Sakura giggled here and there. A lean, chestnut haired boy, who was slightly flushed in the face, ran up to them, saying something too quick for Tomoyo to understand. She then saw herself give out an exaggerated squeal of delight and hug her friend in a tight embrace. Tomoyo also nodded with a little pang, the way the boy looked at her friend and the way Sakura smiled dreamily.

Another bout of ripples marred the crystalline surface, and a new image emerged. She saw herself being engulfed in a torrential storm, Sakura and Syaoran with Clow Cards at hand, yelling at the top of their lungs. Shaking her head profoundly, Tomoyo forced herself to look on. She now saw Eriol perched on a tree branch, grinning broadly down at her. The picture changed, now taking on the likeness of her mother and her bodyguards. Tomoyo's throat tightened and she shut her eyes to block the image. 

When she opened her eyes again, Yue and Keroberus were looking back at her. Like the faces of the sea, the vision changed yet again, now showing something Tomoyo never experienced. Afraid to blink lest she miss something, Tomoyo kept her eyes on the mirror. Hundreds if not thousands of images swam before her eyes, enthralling her.

She saw people, many of whom she never has seen before. She saw buildings and cities, countries and their rulers. Tomoyo saw beautiful things, flowery meadows and lush forests; things that she would easily die for. She also witnessed wars and destruction; people running with terrified expressions on their faces. She caught glimpses of death; the corpses' visages contorted into grotesque expressions and the lifelessness in their hollowed eyes. 

By this time, Tomoyo did not even notice the tears that were running freely down her cheeks, nor did she care. Her head throbbed with all the things she's seen. Her chest felt tight with many suppressed emotions. Tomoyo stifled a mangled sob, turning finally way from the cruel waters of the mirror. Her vision still blurry from the tears, she glanced at Casali and the three brothers, who were still as impassive as ever.

"What must be done?" She asked when she felt her throat loosen up a bit.

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"I tell you, there is absolutely nothing going on between Tomoyo and myself," declared a very irritated Eriol.

"But you are simply perfect for each other!" Exclaimed Nakuru, his brow creasing from frustration. "You both love music, have similar features and are malicious beings at heart." 

"Even so, that does not mean that we will make the best couple," said Eriol with a sigh.

Shaking his head in frustration, Nakuru looked outside to cool himself off. _'Why is it that they can't see how perfect they are together? It's like I'm dealing with chimps here!' _thought Nakuru. He felt very much like drumming his head on something very hard. It perplexed him why such simple things could not be seen by the ones in question. And what aggravated him even further was that Suppi refused to help him on this little thing, despite all the coxing and begging he did. 

"Don't you feel anything besides friendship for her?" Nakuru attempted.

Eriol opened his mouth to blurt out a smart retort and stopped. What did he feel for Tomoyo? She certainly was someone special to him, and he definitely cared about her. Was that all he felt for her, though? There were certain occasions when he would get odd thoughts about her. Like the way her lips were the perfect shape for kissing and the way her long lashes would shield her eyes to make her look mysterious and seductive at the same time. 

Shaking his head vigorously, he was about to answer when the girl in question entered the room. Grinning crookedly at the interruption, he motioned her towards them. Looking at him dazedly, Tomoyo refused politely, saying that she felt fatigued. A small frown crossed Eriol's perfectly sculpted mouth. Tomoyo looked paler than usual, the hollows underneath her cheekbones standing out more than usual, the musical note that usually prevailed her voice was a little thin. 

Shaking his head, he turned back to his companions, delicately changing the subject, "So, what are we doing this evening?"

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That evening, the elves had built a large fire not far from the banks of Arihel, in celebration of some great occasion. Eriol did not know what was so special about that day, but he did not mind much. They were given new clothes, more festive and elegant in design. His was a rich sea green colour with golden vines embroidered around the hems and the collar; he had yet to see Nakuru's and Tomoyo's ensemble. 

He was sitting around the fire, listening to the various elven songs, letting them lull him into a dull daze. He had some red vine earlier that evening, and it was now working its magic around his mind. At one point, he thought he heard Tomoyo sing, but he was not certain whether it was just his overtaxed imagination or the vine playing with him. Everything felt like a dream.

He felt a warm hand on his shoulder and turned to the source of the touch. It was Tomoyo; he was right, she did look stunning in her new garments. A soft peach robe coming off of one shoulder. The fire was sending a pretty display of light dancing across her cherub-like face, making her look like one of the fair folk. Her hair framing her pale face and enhancing her dark eyes to the point of almost sinful beauty.

"Eriol, we need to leave this place," she said quietly near his right ear. Eriol shivered at the warmth of her breath against his neck, shifting the fine hairs on his nape; the sensation felt positively delightful. A small smile graced his mouth; she sounded ethereal, too. Nodding slightly, he drifted into a light sleep, a creature of infinite beauty beside him.

....._ This marks the end of the third instalment: Trials; and thus heralds the start of the _

fourth part: Tribulations......

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(1) Casali -- means "Herald of the Shadow" in Elvish

(2) Solaer, Solaro and Solitae -- "Memory of Song", "Memory of Summer" and "Memory of Love" in Elvish (in that order)

(3) Decepio -- Lies/ deception in Latin. It is also referred to as the Mirror of Praeterita Tempus (Past Time in Latin)

Sorry this came out so late, but I've been swamped with art homework. I suggest that curls should be outlawed --- they're just too damn hard to draw. Also, sorry for any OOC-ness or plot confusions. Note to Kita: you've seen me draw, so tell me, should I do the character sketches or what? You'd finally see the cute bad guy. 


	11. Que Sera Sera

A/N: Sorry if I confused anyone with the last chapter. Here's what's goin' on. While Tomoyo and Eriol are in this strange place, all Sakura's and other residences' memories of the two had been erased. It's as if E & T didn't really exist at all. Hope that didn't make anyone any more confused. Now on with the show. 

Disclaimer: The usual legal jargon applies. 

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Part IV: Tribulations: Que Sera Sera

During the last few days they spent in Tradeth, Eriol resolved that when time didn't like him, it went into hyper drive. It felt as if their entire stay in that magical realm was no more than a very detailed, very realistic and very beautiful dream. Dread and something bordering close to depression clutched his stomach muscles. He even thought about feigning sickness so they would have an excuse to stay longer -- even if for a day -- with the elves. 

Throughout those few, solemn days, Tomoyo kept to herself. Eriol worried about that. Ever since the time he woke up to discover himself in a very questionable position (on her lap ^____^) on the morning after the bon fire, he had rarely seen the dark-haired girl. That was a mystery on itself. Where did she go? She had the same ground limitations he had; he knew all the possible places for her to be and her schedule. Yet somehow, she had found a way to not only elude his company to the bare minimum, but to practically disappear from existence. 

A part, a large part with furry underlining, missed her. He needed, craved, her company, her attention. All Eriol wanted at that moment was a late breakfast, a grand lunch and to look into Tomoyo's eyes and assure himself that she was all right. The last time he'd seen her, she was walking back to her suite; before that she looked deathly pale and ill. He felt giddy, that day he would finally have a chance to speak with her. 

Sighing frustratedly and racking a slightly shaky hand through his already dishevelled locks, he sat down on the shore of Arihel. He felt lost. It was as if someone has draped a dark cloth over his logic. At times he felt like he was being too protective of his friend, but could she really blame him? At other times he felt so angry with her; why was she so withdrawn from him, didn't she trust him? He didn't even know why he was experiencing these things.

Sniffing irritably at the fresh air, he got up, dusting himself off while doing so, and walked back to the city. He saw Tomoyo standing not far from their horses (apparently they were grazing in a nearby meadow the entire time), her arms wrapped around her protectively. His chest tightened and his stomach did little pirouettes. Eriol wondered why this happened; it was definitely a new experience for him. He resolved to ponder on the feeling on the next opportunity, right now he had a girl to catch up with. 

Striding briskly towards her, he recited the little speech he prepared for that occasion. _I know your going through difficult times. _Hell; he saw it in her eyes whenever he looked at her. _But so are we and we think that it's best if we deal with the problems together. We need you. _Stifling a nervous sigh, which was another surprise -- Eriol was never nervous --he tapped her on the shoulder. 

She turned to him, her eyes looking more distant and weary than he could ever remember them being. He gulped slightly; was it just him or was his palms sweaty? Clearing his throat, he began, "Tomoyo...we.... that is the guardians and I...well, we know that you've been going through some difficult times..." he stammered. Beginning to sweat profoundly, Eriol felt an urge to tug at his collar.

Looking questioningly at him, Tomoyo gestured him to continue. "Well, we...I...am concerned -- though there's no need to worry! I just wanted to tell you that...that I think...that...um.."

Tomoyo giggled slightly at his loss of word; it was the first time she expressed any sort of emotion since the bon fire and the mirth in her voice brought a warm feeling to his heart. He liked when she laughed; it lighted up her face, making her look even more breathtaking than she already was. And whenever he saw the happiness in her eyes (which wasn't too often nowadays) it always made him content. 

"You were saying?" Tomoyo presently said.

Shaking his head form his reverie, he continued with new resolve. "I just wanted to tell you that you're not alone; we're here for you. I'm here for you." _'Oh Hell,'_ he thought. Taking in a sharp breath, he blurted in a small voice, "I just want to see that smile on your face. I missed you."

At that moment he could have sworn that he saw the corners of her mouth lift in an airy smile, but it could also have been the wind or his overly taxed imagination. He felt as if something revolutionary happened between them at that moment. Grinning crookedly, he began to retell her everything that happened during the past few days. He could still sense the worry in her, but he was in too good a mood to pay attention to that. 

In no time at all, and too soon for Eriol, their time of departure arrived. He didn't understand why they had to leave. Sure they had to find a way to get back home, but the elf country was already like a home to him. It surprised him on the morning after the bon fire when Ruminar himself came to him and inquired about it. He chose not to question it though; he trusted Tomoyo with the decision that she made, whatever the reason for it was. 

Standing beside the freshly fed and groomed horses, Eriol and the rest of the company took their last look of the generous people of Tradeth. Eriol gazed pitifully at Nakuru who was crying, big blobs of fake tears spouting from his eyes. Nakuru was going to miss all the pretty male elves. Spinel was going to miss all the ancient runes and all the elven history; thus he sulked in the crook of Nakuru's arm, refusing to give in to sadness. 

Eriol took one last whiff of the intoxicating air, letting it calm the calamity in his heart. He was going to miss the breathtaking beauty of this place. He branded the memories of the trees, the sky, the city and the feelings they stirred in him on his heart; he swore that he would remember this place for the rest of his life. 

He could tell that Tomoyo, who was standing beside him, was restless to leave. With another sigh, he mounted Vive Maria, reaching a hand to help Tomoyo mount the mare as well. The girl hesitated, taking one last look around, her brows creasing slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, Eriol saw four figures robed in pale colours. He wondered who they were; he knew all the inhabitants of Tradeth and he certainly never met the quartet in white. 

Eriol noted with some concern that Tomoyo was frowning slightly, something crossing in her eyes. He reached a hand to her shoulder, trying to catch her attention, but she stepped away, heading towards the strangers. He saw with a fiery pang in his chest -- which befuddled him -- as Tomoyo stopped in front of the three men, saying something too quietly for him to follow. The tall woman nodded her head at something Tomoyo said, and Eriol was overcome with sudden curiosity. 

Their entire conversation lasted mere minutes, tiny prickles of time that grated on Eriol's nerves. Scowling darkly, he placed a façade on his features and turned away. Snatching at a leaf irritably, Eriol looked ahead. He didn't even noticed shredding the poor little leaf to miniscule pieces, he was so absorbed in his seething emotions. When Tomoyo finally ambled over to him, holding a delicate white flower -- _'No doubt from one of the pretty elves'_, he thought -- Eriol merely grunted in acknowledgement and helped her mount in front of him. 

With sorrow in their heart, the company set off for the road ahead...

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The road seemed endless, though it *must* have had an end somewhere, Eriol reasoned. The company has been traveling for close to a week, and all they saw were stretches of dreary marshes and an occasional tree. Grey, in varying stages and tones, a chiaroscuro of sorts, surrounded them. The air was humid and thick, reaching chilling temperatures by nightfall. The sounds amplified in volume, filling the monotonous landscape with eerily distorted noises. Eriol felt depresses by simply looking into the dense haze ahead of them. 

Before they left, Eriol was told by Elrad that this surrounding area was once a human metropolis. That tall spires and arches welcomed travellers in. Then buildings with small windows and red tiled roofs lined the streets, before giving way to a magnificent palace. Now the land was nothing more than a barren wasteland. Ancient wars destroyed the city and the palace of light; the people left scattered about the world. Nothing remained for miles, except for the realm of Ruminar to the south and the River Arihel to the west, the Great Mountains to the far north. 

Lack of shelter forced them to sleep in open ground, sometimes under the gnarled roots of an upturned tree. The elves gave them cloaks that were made from a light material that shimmered with patterns of vines if looked at a certain angle. They were also provided with elven food and trinkets, all of which made the journeying easier. Even so, Eriol found it difficult to keep a brave front. 

Tensions were running high, at one point reaching a maddening stage. One frosty night, as the group was bundled uncomfortably into their new cloaks, trying hard not to listen to the spine-chilling sounds, Spinel exclaimed, "Oh for Clow's sake, Nakuru! Will you stop breathing! It's irritating me!"

"The fact *you're* alive at all is irritating *me*!" Nakuru retorted angrily, his voice sounding more shrill in the night.

That set off a row between the two guardians, which included harsh retorts and almost reached an outright brawl. The guardians only stopped squabbling when the night was pierced by an alien sound. With a high pitched squeal, Nakuru lunged for the lapels of his cloak and pulled them over his head, whimpering while doing so. They spent the rest of the night listening to the sounds of the moors.

From then on, the two guardians refused to talk with each other. Spinel even relocated into the folds of Tomoyo's cloak as opposed to the crook of Nakuru's arm. Conversation ran scarce, with Nakuru's odd mutterings occasionally breaking the silence. Eriol noticed with a slight frown and a sigh into the back of her head that Tomoyo had withdrawn further into herself. 

"What's wrong?" He presently said.

Tomoyo looked up at him from the flower in her hand (it was the same blossom given to her by the elves, it seemed as if it would never die). Running an elegant finger along one silky petal, Tomoyo just shook her head and looked to the road. Eriol understood. Tomoyo was bothered by the seemingly perpetual grey as much as he was. She simply distracted herself by her thoughts. He swore that one day he would get to the bottom of her sudden misery.

__

'Melancholy is contagious,' he thought gloomily. Eriol sighed and looked down to the mucky earth. He watched with boredom as the mare's hoofs drove into the soft ground, coming out an instance later with slimy grime. Tiny bits of muck separated and fell to the earth, mixing with the rest. This process continued, and each time, the dark mud grew in size around the horse's hoofs. Eriol shivered, the whole image, the situation repulsed him. It sent tremors of unease down his spine, and he wanted nothing more to see anything that did not match the greyness around him. 

One such night, while they were searching for a good place to stay, Tomoyo stiffened in his arms and he wondered at it's source, glad that something happened besides the droning grey. Eriol watches with a fire going through his system, as the girl clutched the pale flower to her. 

"Something's there," she whispered in what seemed to him like fright. 

"Are you sure? Could it have been a shadow? A tree?" He asked just as quietly, trying to keep a nonchalant front.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I saw something moving."

Eriol bit his lip unknowingly. A thousand possibilities ran through his head. What should he do? Logic dictated that he stay clear, ignore any and all things that seemed out of place. Yet that part of him which screamed for him to take action, to appear the knight in gleaming armour to his frightened companions, propelled him forward. It felt almost like a challenge; Eriol never backed down from a challenge. 

Letting dread wash over him in a wave of cold trepidation, he dismounted the mare. Tomoyo looked down at him; the look in her eyes seemed almost worried. Eriol shook off her concern, pulling a cheeky grin to his lips. He heard Nakuru's squeal of fright, and sent a reassuring word to him. His head held high, his shoulders square and his gait determined, he strode into the thick grey haze, trying desperately to ignore the fear clutching at his stomach muscles. 

Eriol walked farther and farther into the mist, noticing only too late that he was too far from his companions. Panic began to shoot its way up his spine, but he quenched the feeling before it could seize him in a hysterical fit. He turned around on his spot on the muck filled earth; it would have looked like a crazy dance had he been in a dancing mood. Nothing! He saw nothing but a mass of grey.

Sucking in a long gulp of air, Eriol decided to move in a direction -- any direction. Stumbling through the uneven terrain, occasionally sinking knee high into pools of mud, Eriol walked on. In the dullness of his surroundings, he lost track of time, though he reckoned that no more than half an hour went by since he left his companions. He wondered if they were looking for him like he was looking for them. 

Then a new fear began to nag at him: what if this was a set-up? What if he was purposely lured away? What if Tomoyo and the others were captured? Killed? He could not bare the thought so he turned all his concentration to the dense fog and all the knowledge he inherited from Clow. Surely with all his limitless wisdom and an ocean-full of experience Clow knew a way out of situations like these. All the mind racking and memory recollections came up nil, and Eriol couldn't help but feel his spirits dampen. 

Suddenly, as if by some magic force, the mist and the soggy air that came with it lifted to reveal a starry sky and an open field. He stood in the grass -- when had it suddenly grown to mid-thigh level? -- breathless at the change in scenery. His companions rode into the clearing not far to his left. The way they suddenly appeared sent chills down his back, but he ignored it and ran up to them. 

"You would not believe what happened to me!" He exclaimed once he reached them. Not waiting for them to ask him, he continued, "There I was, minding my own business, looking for that thing that you saw --" he gestures at Tomoyo, "-- and then I see something HUGE coming out of the fog. So I shrug it off, thinking it's just a tree. Oh, no, I was wrong. As I was walking, three -- no, four! -- trolls stepped out of the shadows! I began to run for it but they --"He was cut off when his companions' horses moving ahead. 

"Heeeeey!! Where are you doing!?" Eriol half jogged to catch up.

"You aren't thinking of leaving me, are you?" He asked Tomoyo, who was perched atop Vive Maria. 

The girl looked down her perky nose at him, her dark eyes gleaming with amusement. "It crossed my mind," she replied. 

Grumbling mockingly, he mounted the mare and the company was on the way once again. Only too happy to get rid of the dreary greyness, the company was considerably more cheerful. Eriol could even note a sort of reconciliation between Spinel and Nakuru. Eriol was observing the star peppered sky when something leaped in the way of their horses. He was taken by surprise and nearly fell off his horse. Nakuru screeched and Tomoyo clutched at Eriol's tunic to keep him from falling. 

"Aaaaah!" The creature mirrored Nakuru's wail. "Yer skarin' meh halfe ter deth!"

When the syllables left the creature's mouth, who sounded male in gender, silence reigned the open fields. Eriol could not see their opponent, so he reached into the folds of his cloak to grasp the handle of the elven sword. "What are you?" He asked the being.

"Ah ken shee yer not very friendlie," it said. "Yer passin' threwh meh lands, lad." The voice sounded friendly enough, with a very strange accent. Eriol reckoned it was a middle-aged man. Still, he kept a firm hand on his sword. 

Eriol said to the stranger, "Come out of the shadows where we can see you."

The whole company stifled a gasp of wonder when the man came out of the horses' shadows into the moonlight. He was a little man, reaching to Eriol's waist, he reckoned. With messy brown hair sticking out on all sides and dark laughing eyes underneath bushy eyebrows. He wore a dust covered cloak, tweed trousers peeking from the opening. He looked like a creature from one of the Grimm's fairy tales. 

"W-what are you?" Tomoyo asked, stammering slightly in her amazement. 

The Lilliputian man seemed almost offended. "Goreneil is meh name, an' breedin' sheep is meh game." Reaching small limbs, Goreneil took Tomoyo's pale hand and kissed it in a gentlemanly fashion, pulling a crooked grin on his face. "Ah certainlie pleased to meet yeh."

The look in the little man's eyes reminded Eriol of a gremlin, he didn't like the way he kissed Tomoyo's hand. "You wouldn't know of a place for us to stay, would you?" Eriol asked. 

"As a matter o' fakt Ah doo," Goreneil presently said. "Ah own a smalle farm not too far from 'ere. Yer good kids, welkome to stay if yer please."

That cheered him up. Opportunity knocked on your door only so often; there was no chance in Hell he was going to miss one if it came in the form of a dwarf-like man. Agreeing to spend the night in Goreneil's house, the company followed the man through the moon-bathed meadow. At one point, the man broke out into a merry song in a harsh sounding language, Tomoyo laughed at one of the words of the song. Grinning from ear to ear, Goreneil began to sing louder, filling the grassy expanse with jovial song and laughter. 

When they reached the man's house, they were too weary and travel worn to bother noticing the furnishing or decorations. As soon as they were given rooms, they changed into their bedclothes and fell into snugly beds; Nakuru didn't even bother to take his clothes off. 

____________________________*____*__________________________

The creature grinned crookedly to itself, licking its lips while doing so. The little ones were exactly where it wanted them to be. Master would be happy. It looked into the fire, the warm light reflecting in its cold eyes. The creature fumbled for the well worn piece of paper, which it always stored on the inside pocket of its vest. Running its eyes through the well-known script, the creature settled into a comfortable silence. Once it had read the contents of the parchment half a dozen times or so, the being folded it neatly, being careful not to suddenly tear at the sensitive parts, and replaced it back into its pocket. Yes, Master would be happy. 

(tbc)

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Finally done! Now all I need to do is tonnes of homework. This was a sucky chapter, hope you'll forgive me. Oi! I can't believe that some people actually like my writing. Wow! I'm touched, really! Thanks to all of ya *grovels in thankfulness on the muck-filled ground*! Without you I'd be a depressed heap laying on the floor *daubes at the corners of her eyes*


	12. Of Apples and Trees

A/N: O.o .... Hehe.... Procrastination is a disease; it's not something you're taught it's something you're born with. I've having problems with my computer lately, hope you'll forgive the late posting. 

Disclaimer: Somewhere in the universe there is a place where everything is perfect, where every one has their own Eriols and Syaorans to play with, where CLAMP is a very nice company and gives ownership of CCS to anyone who wishes, and where all my daydreams come true. Unfortunately, this is not Perfect-land and I still don't own Eriol.

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Part IV: Tribulations: Of Apples and Trees

Tomoyo woke up to the sounds of merry twittering and a cool breeze on her face. Snuggling further into the soft bed, she just closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of nature. For an instant, she could almost imagine that she was back home, in her own lavishly decorated room and silk bed sheets. Or maybe she was really back in Vergel; the past couple of weeks nothing more than a nightmare brought on by too many thoughts about Sakura. 

Sighing, she opened her eyes, noting that she was neither back home nor in Vergel. The window was open and the white lace tulle was dancing according to the breeze. She smelt flowers and something else, though she could not identify just as of yet. Loath to get rid of the warm comforts of the bed, she nevertheless slipped off the blanket and placed her feet on the wooden floor. 

She changed into a light dress, vanilla in colour, and plaited her long tresses into a sloppy braid. Looking about the room, she noticed that it was scarcely furnished, with an old wooden chair beside a small table and the bed. Walking, still barefooted, to the windows, Tomoyo looked outside. Yep. Definitely not Vergel. The forest no longer graced the distance and the mountains loomed even closer now. 

Just then, the wooden door opened and in bounced Goreneil, a pile of neatly folded clothes in his small arms. The little man glanced at Tomoyo silhouetted white against the open widow. His smile stretched even wider, Tomoyo almost thought that it would split his head in two. 

"Ah dide yer washin' an' yer cookin'," he said cheerfully. "Yer free tah go and 'fast." Placing the heap of clothing on her bed, he left the room, whistling loudly to himself. 

Tomoyo looked blankly at the space he previously occupied; she didn't even say "thank you". Shaking her head slightly, she put the freshly washed and pressed garments into an old chest that stood at the foot of the bed. That done, Tomoyo headed for the door smoothing her hair while doing so. 

When she exited the room, she was struck with a bit of a dilemma. She stood in a dimly lit corridor; doors identical to her own were scattered periodically, wall sconces hanging here and there. The hallway seemed to stretch for miles before giving way to darkness of the distance. No staircases were in sight and she heard no sound except for her own quiet breathing. Where did she have to go? Should she just wait until someone came for her, which, she admitted ruefully, might be a long time? Should she simply brave the complex web of corridors? She opted to face the stretch of pathways as opposed to waiting in solitude. Taking a lantern from the little table in her room, she headed into the darkness of the corridors. 

Many heavy-wooded doors lined the pathway, and Tomoyo wondered whether Eriol or Nakuru slumbered behind them. She was almost tempted to take a little peek, but stopped when she discovered that most of the doors were locked. Other, smaller and considerably darker pathways separated from the main one, and Tomoyo could discern light reflected from the candles on the brass door hinges. Shivers running down her spine, she continued her tedious march.

As she progressed further down the dark corridor, she noticed that the floor seemed to be slanting down as she went further in. It was as if she was slowly descending underground, but that was highly doubtable. She also noticed that the temperature dropped, Tomoyo was forced to wrap her arms around her small frame to savour all the warmth she could get. Thoughts ran astray in her mind; what if something happened? Where was everyone else? Had she somehow taken the wrong turn? Would she walk these corridors until she was reduced to mere dust?

Just when she was wondering if she should turn around and head back to her designated room, she reached a sharp bend in the corridor. Faint light flickered, casting orange light to dance on the mahogany of the walls. Craning her slender neck, Tomoyo glanced around the corner to the source of the light. Behind a slightly parted door was what appeared to be the boiler room. No one seemed to be inside. Deciding that the boiler room, occupied or not, was better than the freezing hallway, Tomoyo looked every which way, just to make sure that no one witnessed the crime, and surreptitiously crept into the room. 

She noted that shovels, pikes and other tools hanged on the walls, but did not pay too much heed to them. Walking on her tippy-toes for minimum noise, she sat in front of the heater, in which a low fire still burned, and wrapped herself in the excess material of her robe. The heat radiating off of the heater and the added bonus of the cloth around her made Tomoyo feel almost toasty. 

This reminded her of the times Sakura and her would spend at the ski resort (Sakura fell in love with skiing after that first time with their class), nestled comfortably in front of the fireplace. They would eat marshmallows and sip hot chocolate while listening to various urban legends (which Sakura still believed in). Then at night, when all the other lodgers left to sleep, they would break into merry songs. The owner of the place would come barrelling from his little cot underneath the stairs and start chasing them around the room. Both laughing, they would run out into the frosty night and fall into the snow -- making snow angels. 

Without even realising it, Tomoyo began to hum softly to herself, an old French tune she learned when she was just a child. She stared into the fire, its red tongue licking the grate on the heater. She just sat there in a stupor like state, watching the flamed dance in their cage and softly whispering the song underneath her breath.

"Wut are yeh dooin' 'ere?" A gruff voice asked from behind her. 

Tomoyo was brought headfirst back to terra firma. Spinning around her spot on the floor, she faced the intruder. Unconsciously, she moved closer to the wall, seeking some sort of support.

"Ah was askin' yeh a questionne, girlie," the same voice said. 

Inching closer and closer to the wall and reaching for the nearest source of protection -- a fire poker. "Don't come closer! I'll scream!" She threatened, brandishing the poker in front of her. 

"There's noo neede tah be shoutin'. Ah was juste tryin' ter help," the man said roughly, coming closer but still keeping to the shadows. 

"Who are you?" She asked warily, poker still held warningly in her trembling hands. 

The man came into the soft light. At first, Tomoyo thought it was simply Goreneil trying to scare the living daylights out of her. Then she noticed that the little man was more robust than her host was. He had a mop of umber coloured hair, wild curls falling into his dark eyes. He wore a dirtied smock over dark brown trousers and a simple shirt. "Stiarpike," he grunted while extending a small hand to the girl.

Looking testily into his eyes, Tomoyo took his hand and with his help got off the dusty floor. "I-I was looking for a way out, but I...." The girl felt the need to explain the reason for her whereabouts.

Stiarpike took a good look at her from underneath his bushy eyebrows; his nostrils inflating with each breath he took. Tomoyo shrunk back from his scrutiny, even though she was several feet taller than he was, her words dying on her lips. He glanced once more at the girl, a harsh sounding grunt resonating form his throat, and turned to leave. Tomoyo hurriedly followed him; surprised that so little a man could walk so fast, noting at the same time that he had a slight limp in his left leg. 

As Stiarpike led her through the maze of corridors, Tomoyo tried on numerous occasions to engage the little man into conversation, but every time he looked at her from underneath his eyebrows and grunted an uncommunicative response. Seeing as to how she was going to be ignored the entire time, the girl locked her hands behind her and followed the man as noiselessly as she could. 

Stiarpike took a sudden turn into a dark tunnel and Tomoyo began to worry; where exactly was he leading her? She began to fidget with the tips of her hair (she often did this when she was nervous or scared, though surreptitiously so). She was debating whether she should risk bolting out of there as opposed to being murdered with a blunt object, when the hallway came to life. Candles were held in elaborate wall sconces and many paintings and decorations hung from the walls. It was considerably warmer (so much that Tomoyo felt that it was no longer necessary to wrap her arms around her) and she did not feel like she wound topple over with the next step. 

"Where are we?" She presently asked, hoping that she escort would answer. 

He did not; he simply grunted and pointed to a large wooden door. "Do I go in?" She asked; Stiarpike grunted in return and limped down another darkened hallway. Stifling a sharp retort, Tomoyo pushed at the heavy door and walked in slowly. She gaped -- seriously, open-mouth, jaw-to-the-floor *gaped* -- at the scene. 

Nakuru was perched on all fours on the long wooden table, straddling a writhing Spinel, his arms pinning the feline guardian down. On the opposite sides of the two creatures were Eriol and Goreneil, both struggling with difficulty to keep their aching sides from splitting at the seems. The two seemed to be stuffing something into Spinel's mouth, who stifled protest after protest in between the growing pile of stuff in his tiny mouth. 

No one noticed her arrival. Laughter and sheer confusion vied for dominance in her mind. Tomoyo stuffed a fist into her mouth to keep herself from breaking into a myriad of giggles. She walked on her tippy-toes to stand directly behind Eriol, who was currently too busy with his own hysteria fit. Clearing her throat quietly, she leaned closer until her lips almost touched his ear, and whispered, "Is that what you do when I'm away? My, my, and I had such an innocent image of you."

Startled, Eriol braced himself against the table, trying to keep cool under Tomoyo's amethyst gaze. Shifting uncomfortably on his spot, he felt heat creep up his neck, to his ears and then spread in waves over the rest of his body. Before he could say anything to the girl -- not that he could because of the lump in his throat -- Tomoyo moved to sit beside Goreneil, as if ignoring him. Signing he returned to his seat, which just so happened to be right across Tomoyo's. For just a fraction of a second, Eriol could feel her lips on his ear. He shivered; he liked the feel of her lips on his skin.

Tomoyo listened with what could otherwise be described as thirst to Nakuru's and Spinel's bickering. Hiding in the ceiling candelabra, Suppi complained that "the pussyfooting idiot" was degrading him with "slow torture". Nakuru exclaimed that Spinel was more fun than a barrel of monkeys and should act the part. The row was broken by Goreneil's hearty laughter and Tomoyo's stifled giggles. 

Sometime into her meal, Tomoyo remembered her silent escort. Turning partially to her host, she asked, "I was lead here by a gentleman named Stiarpike. Might I know more about him?"

"Aa, Stiarpike, the grounde's keeper, hee's an odde fella 'e is," Goreneil answered thoughtfully, his bushy eyebrows creasing in concentration. "'e came 'ere onlie a coople o' monthes agou. Been keepin' quiete alle the timee." Shaking his head he said to the girl, "Yeh bettere stay away from 'im. Rumoure hase it, 'e's up to noo good." With that said, Goreneil's eyes resumed their jovial sparkles and his rosy cheeks moved in rhythm with his laughs. 

Tomoyo returned to eating her meal, occasionally stealing a glance at the closed door, as if expecting it to burst in millions of wooden shards. A thin line appeared between her eyebrows and the sensuous mouth quirked in a little half smile. Perhaps something was bothering the young mistress? Maybe she was overcome with a new and rare type of anxiety? The Fates only knew, but they were sworn to reveal nothing. 

Eriol watched the changes taking place on Tomoyo's face and came to his own conclusion. Concentrating on a spot somewhere outside the small window, he lapsed into silence. 

_____________________________*____*___________________________

"I do not like this place," he said quietly to the girl beside him; "it gives me the heebie-jeebies." 

Tomoyo and Eriol were walking in the green pastures behind Goreneil's dwelling, conversing about this and that. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, shining down on the two youngsters and bathing everything in serene light. Mountains loomed a pale violet colour in the distance and bird song was heard ringing thought out the landscape. 

They were told that Goreneil's farm was once, in the time when peace dominated the vast lands of this realm, a roadside inn. The hotel was passed down to Goreneil's grandfather, who ended up owing a large sum of money to the state governors due to his gambling problems. The lands were then given to their host's father, who converted the pastures to the farm that it was now. And in turn, it was given to Goreneil when his father passed on. 

The house was actually a huge burrow that spread miles into the ground, the vast tunnels serving as storage space for food and other stuffs. All the numerous rooms and chambers were concealed by a green hillock. The only sign that betrayed the dwelling was the round door overlooking the eastern sun and the odd scattering of windows. 

"Care to elaborate?" Tomoyo presently said, her feet treading silently in the grass. 

"I simply feel that something is out of place. As if, something is..." he ran his hand through his dishevelled hair, looking for the right words. "I don't know. Call it instinct, Clow Reed or lunacy if you please, but something is not right."

Smirking almost imperceptibly, Tomoyo replied, "Relax, I believe you. I feel it, too."

Sighing, he gladly changed the subject, "What are --" he stopped abruptly looking behind Tomoyo's right shoulder. On impulse, the girl turned in the direction he was facing and froze. 

Stiarpike stood underneath an oak tree, a rake in one callous hand. The three stood facing each other, the youngsters warily keeping their distance. Stiarpike had a frown on, and the girl could practically see the wheels turning awkwardly in his head. Perturbed, Tomoyo pulled Eriol away before he got into a potentially lethal staring contest. Sparing a glance behind her, she noted with dread that the silent ground's keeper was trailing their progress with his dark eyes. 

"Nope, I don't like it at all," Eriol murmured under his breath, "especially not Stirfrike."

The two of them reached a large apple tree not far from the main pasturing grounds. Reaching out to pluck a red apple off a branch, and failing miserably, Tomoyo turned her back to Eriol. When she twisted to look at her friend, he was gone. Confusion marred her pixie-like features and she turned on her spot looking for him. Suddenly, something dropped at her feet. Bending down, she noticed with mild surprise that it was a red apple. 

Arching her neck skyward, she found Eriol. Sprawled like a cat on a branch was the boy in question, munching delicately on an apple. One of his legs dangled off the branch, the other was propped against the bark. 

"What are you doing up there?" Tomoyo asked, the apple on the ground long forgotten.

Eriol ignored her. He took a long bite off the fruit, savouring it on his tongue, contorting his face into a mask of unadulterated pleasure. After he finished all the tasty bits and tossed the core on the ground, he began to lick his digits, one by one, off of the juice. He reminded her of some feline predator who just feasted on a very scrumptious prey. (^____^) After he finished licking his fingers clean, he swung his propped up leg towards the other. 

Looking down at her, his eyes shielded by a mass of dark hair, he said languorously, "Come join me."

"No way!" The girl was too quick to respond.

"I promise you won't fall off," he persisted, lowering his voice until Tomoyo had to strain her ears in order to hear him.

Looking questioningly around her, Tomoyo came closer to the tree. She felt compelled to follow him up on the challenge, but she was also afraid of the curiosity his offering awakened in her. Keeping her eyes glued to the soft ground, she asked timidly, "How?"

A decidedly smug -- if not a teensy bit evil -- smirk crossed the boy's soft lips before he turned away. Closing his eyes, Eriol concentrated on the girl below him, using her aura as guidance. Tiny beads of sweat broke out on his pale forehead and his brows furrowed in meditation. He absorbed -- if it could be call anything at all -- Tomoyo's radiance, letting it surge through his veins, mix with his blood until it was a part of him. Tentatively, he intertwined her aura with the thin trickles of magic that still caroused through his system. Intensifying the hold on the magic, he willed it to obey his command. 

To the girl on the ground, this looked rather odd. At first, Eriol looked slightly feral, and then the look changed to one of forced concentration, which was followed by something resembling slow agony. Tomoyo was just about to inquire on his health when she felt a strange sensation piercing her. It was like liquid ice running through her system, unpleasant yet oddly alluring. With the newly discovered sensation running through her, she barely felt her feet leaving the ground. Opening her eyes, which she shut intuitively, she realised that she was several feet in the air. Biting down a shriek, Tomoyo shut her eyes again. 

When Tomoyo finally opened her eyes, she found herself sitting on the same branch as Eriol. Looking down nervously, she inched closer to Eriol. Reaching one hand, Eriol plucked an apple off a nearby stem and began to devour it, all trace of any pain gone. He seemed to be ignoring her completely. 

"Want some?" He said after a while, still not looking at her. 

Tomoyo just gawked at him; was he serious?

"It's delicious," he said.

Looking at the fruit in his hand, Tomoyo smirked furtively. Moving closer to him, until her shoulders brushed his, she ran her hand along his arm. While tracing delicate patterns with the tip of one elegant finger, she mover her other hand to wipe off a smudge of apple juice off his lower lip. Looking at him from underneath her long eyelashes, she licked the finger clean. That done, she continued to lean closer to him, her slender fingers still drawing imaginary patterns on his arm. 

Eriol gulped inaudibly, his breath catching in his throat. His skin was prickling with tiny fires and his face was beginning to gain an annoying flush. "What are you trying to do?" He whispered, his breath coming out in a warm stream and landing on the sensitive skin of her nape. 

Looking into his cerulean eyes, she noted that, indeed, there was a trace of nervousness in their depths. Daubing her lips with her pink tongue, she inched forward. "I just wanted to...want to..." she whispered, averting her eyes as if in shyness. 

"Go on," Eriol urged, his own eyes pools of blue jelly.

Glancing at his pale face, Tomoyo moved even closer -- if that was possible -- until she could feel the bodily heat radiating off him. Nibbling innocently on her lower lip, she ran her fingers farther down his arm, to his hand. Still gazing into his sapphire eyes, she traced the lines of his hand, running her quivering fingers along his digits, the other hand caressing his strong jaw. A sensuous smile graced her lips; their faces were mere inches apart.... 

Suddenly, Tomoyo moved away, a smug smile on her face. Still dazed from the close proximity with the girl, Eriol just stared at her. Grinning, she bit into an apple.

"Heeeeey!! That's mine!" The boy exclaimed once he regained his composure, gesticulating at the fruit in the girl's hands. 

"It's mine now. And you're right, it is delicious," she said, biting into the apple ostentatiously. Growling deep in his throat, Eriol snatched at another apple.

After a minute of silence, Eriol said, "Did you know that apples are the fruits of love? Couples would secretly meet under apple trees and profess their love for each other, sealing their lifelong bond with an apple. And then...." 

Tomoyo knew he was lying through his teeth but did not comment. So Eriol went on commentating about how apples united the first lovers, Adam and Eve, and how in the early Renaissance era apples were the method of treaty signing. As the afternoon wore on, the two moved on to other, more interesting topics and eventually the time caught up to them. 

The two teens sat on their shared branch, one swinging his long legs in annoyance, the other giggling incessantly. As the two watched the sun set over the mountains and wash the surrounding landscape in brilliant crimson hues, the creature returned. It watched them in mute fascination, its fingers digging into the palms of its hands. Its lips curled cruelly when the shorthaired one almost fell off the branch when he was choking on an apple seed. 

Later on, when the creature was preparing to make the trek home, "O, what a deal of scorn looks beautiful In the contempt and anger of his lip!" was heard from the longhaired person. 

Silhouetted against the fading light, the boy turned to the girl and asked, "What was that?"

"Twelfth Night," she simply answered. 

"Aa."

After a short pause which was punctuated by the cricketing of various insects, the boy began, "....I love thee so, that, maugre all thy pride, Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide. Do not extort thy reasons from this clause, For that I woo, thou therefore hast no cause, But rather reason thus with reason fetter, Love sought is good, but given unsought better."

The long-haired one then spoke, "By innocence I swear, and by my youth I have one heart, one bosom and one truth, And that no woman has; nor never none Shall mistress be of it. And so adieu...(1)" the girl was stopped by an audible smirk. "What?" She questioned.

"You've got it wrong. It's 'And that no woman has; nor never none Shall mistress be of it, save I alone...'" the boy corrected.

"Pardon me, your lordship, but I do not have an eternity to spend reading books," the girl countered with a fake British accent. 

"Not at all, lady. It is I who is at fault, for I was not aware of your...inconvenience," the boy replied equally syrupy. 

At that, the creature left its hiding place and headed for its home. Biting on its lip, the being grinned broadly. Soon. Soon the little rodents would belong to it, and finally -- the creature could barely believe that it was actually happening -- he would be satisfied as his wont. 

(tbc)

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(1) From Twelfth Night, Act III, Scene I. I looooove that play ^_____^

Finally! Sorry again *sheepish bow* I know, this is a boring chapter, but bear with me. Please tell me about this chapter. Was is crap? Too much sap? Too much connotation? 


	13. Les Tumulte

A/N: Hehe....okay, how about this, if I don't post the next chapter by next Sunday, you get to flame me? Good? Good. 

Disclaimers: Gah! I scorn the fickle-minded and those who think me owner of said CCS and intend to sue. Those who are wise read and enjoy! ^__^

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Part IV: Tribulations: Les Tumulte 

The heavy water studs landed on the glass plane with a fast-paced "tap tap tap", filling the quiet room with an eerily appealing sound. The clouds behind the small window were drawn together in dark masses, an odd streak of white slithering through the sky. Tree branches with water soaked leaves whipped at the glass, rattling the fragile frame under their force. Overall, it seemed like the beginnings of one whopper of a storm, though this fact was denied by owner of the house. 

The four occupants of the room, all of whom were sitting miserably around the large table, stared at the window, counting the flashes of lightning. It has been raining for four days and the atmosphere in the house could not get any drearier. Spinel grumbled under his furry nose. He hated bad weather, mostly because it meant that his tormentor would stay indoors the entire time, making his existence a living Hell. Sighing, he turned his attention to the tome in front of him, "Trale Eccor " (1); though he could not understand a single word in the book (which aggravated him) he liked to guess what it could mean. 

"Did you know," Eriol presently began, "that in ancient times the Romans used to count the time in between lightning bolts to determine how far the storm was? They did. And if you counted to one or two --"

"I miss the pretty elves!" Nakuru exclaimed from his seat beside Tomoyo, completely unaware that he was interrupting his master. 

Stifling a sharp retort, Spinel shifted as far away from Nakuru as his seating arrangement permitted. Quiet at last, he returned to the line that he was trying to make sense of previously ("ish fer noit porackrate turfer" (2)). The little stuffed-toy-like guardian was beginning to wonder what the words meant (Oh! The possibilities!) when a high-pitched wail disrupted his train of thought. Mumbling curses in many different languages, he turned to the source of the interruption, trying his hardest to feign 'The Glare of Impending Doom' with his large eyes.

"What happened now, you nincompoop?" Spinel asked edgily, his tail twitching slightly.

"I broke my naaaaaaaaiiiiiiillll!!!" The perpetrator whined, his arms flailing about comically. Tomoyo stifled a giggle behind her hand and Eriol snickered into a piece of toast. Spinel growled angrily and moved himself to the window perch. After the initial whimpers, Nakuru settled down and began to amuse himself with the ceiling patterns. The steady rhythm of the rain drops on the window once again filled the room. 

Another streak of lightning illuminated the sky, which was followed by the rolling thunder. _'Thirty-three'_, thought Eriol wearily. Thirty-three lightning flashes. Eriol was bored to the point of insanity. At one point, he debated against going outside to see how quick he would get soaked. That idea hastily evaporated from his mind when he was struck with a mental image of himself fried to a crisp (courtesy Lightning Boltz INC.). Drumming his finders on the tabletop, he looked to Tomoyo, who was presently brushing her long tresses. 

Brush. Brush. Brush.

The initial excitement from getting away from the monotonous moors has now worn off, replaced with a dull throb of unease (which was mostly caused by the incessant rain). He still got the bad vibes from this place, but this time he kept it silent, certain that the others felt the same way. On the other hand, he might have been experiencing the magic withdrawal affects, which could have possibly screwed with his brain. 

Brush. Brush. Brush 

The comb was slicing through the dark cascade, silky hairs in-between wooden teeth. A few glossy strands landed haphazardly on her nape, and Eriol got an irritating urge to sweep them off. The skin, he noted, had a very creamy consistency and contrasted well against the dark hairs. His eyes trailed upward, to her jawbone, delicate yet strong, perfect for smart retorts. A slight hint of pink danced on her cheekbones, making her appear flushed. Her long lashes spread out like a fan on her cheeks, shielding the amethyst orbs from view. 

Brush. Brush. Brush.

He liked the way her hands moved, keeping their own rhythm. A look of deep contemplation crossed her face, the dainty eyebrows knitting together in concentration. If Eriol didn't know any better, he could swear that the stilling of her hands meant trepidation. What was she thinking now? About Sakura no doubt. She missed the girl dearly. So much that it was becoming a misery filled hole in her being. It pained him to see her suffer so much; she'd endured enough as it was. 

"When do you think the rain will stop?" She asked breaking him away from his reverie.

Shaking his head to get rid of the thoughts that began to invade his head, he replied, "I don't know, but I hope soon. We need to get back the road."

Tomoyo nodded her agreement, continuing to run the brush though her hair. Eriol's attention was once again drawn to her elegant hands and their rhythmic motion. A soft hum escaped the girl's parted lips, which drew his attention to her mouth. It was very pretty, he thought; a full bottom lip graced with a soft pink hue, the upper lip curving delicately. He could just imagine those lips move as she sung, or laughed, or sighed. The soft mouth gave way to the elegant nose, which had a perky lift to it. Her visage was accented with those large eyes and the light curls that framed it. Surely her heart-shaped face was the epitome of Romanesque beauty. He would have to paint her once they returned home, he resolved. 

"Ah, Master?" Nakuru broke his thoughts, and Eriol for the first time noticed that he was staring rather rudely. 

"What is it, Nakuru?" He almost growled, which surprised him, and turned to look at his guardian.

Shrinking back from Eriol's scrutiny while fumbling with his dress, Nakuru replied, "Um...where *are* we going, Master?"

Staring at his guardian blankly, Eriol's mind stopped mid rant. He had absolutely no idea where they were headed. They'd been told by Goreneil that there was a series of small towns to the north, beyond that was the River Rhoeh (which separated into rivers Arihel and Luthiel). Eriol supposed that was their next course, but what about after that? Where would they go from there? Where could they go with the war so close on the doorstep?

"I don't know," he presently replied, looking at Tomoyo for guidance. 

"Maybe we should get a map, Master?" Spinel suggested from his spot on the window perch, his book seemingly forgotten.

It was strange that Eriol had not thought of that himself. A map was the most logical idea. Why, though, did it evade his mind? Was it possible that he enjoyed staying in this realm? Sure it was fun at some points, but so much that he wanted to stay? Impossible! "Where can we find one? Would Goreneil have one?" He asked, his inner questions dying.

"Surely he must," Tomoyo piped in, "he did say that he used to travel."

"Why don't the two of you look for him?" Nakuru stated, excitement bubbling just at the surface of his face.

Eriol knew the not-so-secret intention behind his guardians' reasoning, but he gave up on defending himself a long time ago. Besides, he did not mind Tomoyo's company — it beat counting lightning bolts with a wooden stick. So, taking a near-by candle and gathering a handful of biscuits and stuffing them in his pocket, Eriol headed for the door, gesturing Tomoyo to follow him. Once the two were in the hall, they heard a definite squeal from behind the door. 

Both exchanged knowing glances and Eriol shook his head with mild amusement. "He will never change," he said, referring to Nakuru. 

As they strolled down the dimly lit corridors, they listened to the rolling beat of thunder overhead (thirty-four, noted Eriol) and the creaking of floorboards underneath their feet. Eriol strained his ears towards the sounds of movement, seeking Goreneil out in the dark tunnels. Nothing. He grimly noted the drop in temperature as they descended further into the ground. Once they reached a sharp turn in the corridor, the amount of lanterns lessened with longer distances in-between them. Eriol also noticed the appearance of numerous doors. 

"They are guestrooms, from the time this villa was still an inn," Tomoyo answered his unspoken question. "It seems that most of them have been converted into storage rooms."

"Aa."

The two continued with the march, their pace increasing slightly with the constantly darkening pathway. The decorations that adorned the main interior of the dwelling were reduced to the bare minimum; a dust covered painting here, and a draped chair there. Eriol could distinguish the odd scattering of cobwebs from the light of the candle in his hand. The doorknobs, he noticed when he tried to open one door, were caked with thick layers of dust and left a filthy imprint on his hand (which he wiped off on his pant leg). If he didn't know any better, he could almost swear that the place had not been lived in for decades. 

"That doesn't make sense," he murmured under his breath.

"Pardon?" His companion asked from his side. 

"Oh, it was nothing. I just think it's strange." Eriol said. "Does this place seem to you a bit vacant? As if no one lived here for a long time?" 

"Yes, I've noticed it, too, though I wouldn't put too much into it yet." The girl replied, inching away from a spider web that barred her path. "I reckon these hallways had not been used for a long time; a house this grand is rather hard to take care of."

"I suppose, but still..." His voice trailed off into the darkness and he continued on his way, playing with the possibilities in his mind.

They followed the maze-like corridors, stopping once in a while to listen to sounds of movement. At one point, a cold breeze that seemed somehow dominant in the lower portions of the house blew out the candle and rendered the two in near darkness. Still they pressed on, not wanting to get lost while trying to get back and face the wrath of Spinel once they returned without the map. The temperature dropped to near freezing and Eriol could see his breath coming out in puffs of grey as he breathed. The two remained silent, each too preoccupied with their thoughts. 

Eriol, who feared that his fingers would turn a very unattractive shade of purple if the temperature would continue to drop, was thinking of the company's future. As the troupe's leader, he had a responsibility to look out for their best interests. He, however, did not know what dangers they might face in the not-too-distant future. Coupling his hands and breathing into them (as to save a much heat as possible), Eriol turned to his friend. She, too, was lost in her own thoughts, trying to fight off the cold draft. 

Eriol wondered whether they would survive to return home, whether they got home at all. This was a different world, different laws and different creatures. The elves for example, Eriol told himself (A/N: I can just imagine a chibi Eriol with a Yamazaki pose ^^). He had absolutely no idea on how they would get back to their world, he wasn't even sure there was a way back. One wrong step might mean demise, something he was not too keen on thinking about. All they could do was watch out for each other and to not stray from their ultimate goal: home.

He let his mind play with his imagination. What would Tomoeda look now? Was it night? A scarlet painted sunset? Were the cherry blossoms twirling on the wind while the breeze whispered a soft lullaby through the leaves? Did anyone miss them? Miss him? Eriol forced his mind to concentrate on the real and the present; such thoughts brought nothing but heartache and had no place in a being of logic such as himself. 

"Maybe we took a wrong turn?" The girl beside him suddenly asked, rubbing her shoulders to warm herself up.

"It's possible," he replied, stalling his progression. Stealing another glance of the girl, he decided to change the subject, "What were you thinking back there?" 

Tomoyo looked at him with dark eyes, then with a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips shrugged and continued walking. Eriol traced her advance with his eyes, her form barely visible in the dark corridor. Realising that he was still standing on the same spot, her half-jogged to catch up to her. 

"What is so terrible that you can't tell me?" He prodded once they were at equal pace. 

"It's nothing," she said, eyes dancing in the dark.

"It will be just a secret between you and me."

"It's silly."

He snorted; "Wanting to know how fast one could get soaked in the freeing rain and in the process catch pneumonia is silly. There's no one here but you and me, no one will ever know; a gentleman's honour," he emphasized this with a slight wiggling of his eyebrows.

Covering her mouth with her hand lest she giggle girlishly, Tomoyo said, "I don't know. Should I tell you?"

"Yes, definitely."

"Guess."

"I hate guessing games," Eriol scrunched his face in mock disgust (at which Tomoyo did giggle). "Was it about home?" He asked teasingly.

"Hmmm...nope."

"Someone?"

"Definitely."

"Someone I know?" He prodded, his curiosity nearly piquing. 

"Perhaps."

"Ha ha," he rolled his eyes in the dark, not that she would notice. "Just tell me. You know you can trust me."

"Hai, hai," Tomoyo said, turning towards him, "I was thinking about—"

The girl stopped suddenly, her body going rigid. The boy mimicked her stance, coming to a full halt beside her. Eriol looked worriedly at her, laying an icy hand on her shoulder. Sparing a glance at him, she signalled for him to stay still, her hand grasping the one on her shoulder. Seeing the conviction in her eyes and the tenseness in her body, Eriol strained his hearing and concentrated on whatever it was that troubled Tomoyo. 

At first he detected no change in his surroundings. Even after letting the remainder of his magic enhance his sight and hearing, the temperature was still blistering cold and he could still see his breath coming out in puffs. As he was about to turn to Tomoyo, to reassure her that her imagination had gotten the best of her, he felt it. It was nothing of significance really, just a caress of warmth against his numb cheek, but he felt that it was important and concentrated harder. After a minute or two, he felt it again, that sensation of being touched with an invisible hand. Apparently, Tomoyo experienced the same sensation and exchanged glances with Eriol, her dark eyes seeming even darker. 

As if suddenly gifted with telepathic powers, the two moved silently ahead, following the ghost-like caress. As they moved along, edginess making their knees weak and their stomachs churn in swirly patterns, the sensation intensified. What was previously a silk-like touch, now became an embrace of warmth. The air was considerably warmer, so much that Eriol no longer felt the need to wrap his arms around himself. He also noticed that there were fewer cobwebs in the corners and the tunnel itself was considerably lighter and seemed more decorated.

"Do you think we entered the living section of the house?" He asked, though he had his own opinion. 

"Most likely, though I suppose we could be close to the boiler room," Tomoyo replied, shivering unconsciously; she still did not get over the incident with the taciturn grounds' keeper. 

They continued on, more bounce in their step and their spirits much lighter. Before long, the corridor was alighted with soft orange glow, casting warm shadows across the pair. Eriol could hear quiet voices not far off and quickened his pace only too eager to get rid of the darkness and cold. The two entered a stretch of a long pathway, which was mainly decorated with soft earthy tones and which they also recognised as the left wing of the house. Slowing down his pace to a casual strut (so as not to appear flustered in any way), Eriol walked passed a darkened hallway. 

It was a minute later when he noticed that Tomoyo was not walking behind him. Turning on his spot he saw the girl standing in front of the corridor he just passed. "What's wrong?" He asked, heading towards her. 

"I just thought... thought I smelled something," she replied, pointing a slender finger into the darkness. 

Eriol stopped beside her and looked towards the indicated direction. It looked like hundreds of other corridors, completed with cobwebs and odd scattering of paintings. A faint odour trickled over to his nose. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but he was positive what he recognised it, he simply needed to remember exactly what it was. It felt like a tickling sensation, when there is this itch but it's nearly impossible to figure out exactly where. Eriol hated this feeling, this uncertainty, and the inability to do something. 

Fighting a desperate battle with his supposed incompetence (victory in this round went to him), Eriol said, "You are right, Tomoyo. Something is definitely there. The question is, 'what is it'?"

"Maybe it is something private? Or worse yet, what if it is nothing at all? Do we waste time on trying to find out?" She queried, her mind torn in between practicality and over active imagination.

"If we don't, we'll die of curiosity," he countered.

"Good point," that resolved it, and with a quick check that no rescuers were coming their way, Tomoyo and Eriol set out for the darkened hallway.

This particular corridor was nothing like the one they'd previously wandered, Eriol resolved a few minutes into their walk. This one was surprisingly warm and humid; the air permeated with the same smell Eriol could not identify. The darkness, too, was different. As opposed to the teeth-clattering-purple-fingeredness, this darkness was almost bone chillingly eerie... Eriol refrained his mind from getting too far ahead of him, keeping most of his concentration on the pathway (the remaining straying to the girl beside him). 

After the agitating minutes spent on dreading the unknown, Eriol was rather stumped and decidedly disappointed. They stopped at an ordinary looking door, the only distinguishing thing in the entire stretch of corridor. For a second, Eriol was feeling very stupid — of course, this lasted only a mere second, and then he was back to his good old confident self. Spinning gracefully on his heel, Eriol was beginning to saunter back the way they came when a dainty hand on his forearm stopped his progress. 

Half-turning, he was met with a pair of imploring amethyst eyes. Eriol looked in those eyes and saw the resilient determination in them; it almost rivalled his. 

"I think we should still check it out," she said in a half whisper.

Unconsciously, Eriol lifted a hand to stroke the soft cheek, brushing off a stray hair. Taking her by the hand, he led her towards the door all the while muttering, "It will not hurt to take a peak. As long as we do not stray from the periphery, we shall come out unscathed."

Tomoyo simply looked at him in mild curiosity, faint amusement dancing in her eyes, she refrained from asking though. 

Stopping once again in front of the ordinary looking mahogany door, Eriol reached for the knob, twisting it gingerly. Nothing, not even a budge. Sighing frustratedly, the boy looked at his companion, silently asking her the next step.

"Can't we do something?" She asked.

Eriol thought about this for a couple of seconds, mentally listing his skills. Nope, he knew nothing that would help him to get inside locked rooms. "Unless you know how to pick locks, then," shaking his head 'no', mouthing the word. It was at that instance that his attention was dragged forcefully to his magical abilities, however limited they were.

"...I could, though, try a heating spell.." He muttered under his breath. "It might not work, but what's the use of not trying at all?"

Telling the girl to step back a pace or two, Eriol tapped into the same power stream he touched earlier that week. He felt the semi-familiar magic flow through him, igniting his system and sending a mild tremor to his skin. He let the aura overfill him, then, when he felt the timing was right, the reincarnation of Clow concentrated the power on the dusty doorknob. He felt the tiny hairs on his nape stand on end when something akin to fire run through his veins and transferred to the knob. 

When he opened his eyes, the rusty object was nothing more then a puddle of smouldering metal at his feet, an unpleasant smell coming off of the new formed substance. He glanced at Tomoyo who was looking at him with an expression of awe and admiration. 

"I didn't know you could do that," she said, looking at the used-to-be knob.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he answered quietly, turning to face the door. "Lets hurry up before anyone decide to send morticians after us."

Nodding, the girl came to his side. Carefully, almost afraid to make noise, Eriol pushed open the door. Moving inside the darkened room, his nostrils were assaulted with a foul stench, apparently the same one that originally caught their attention. Moving his hand to block the putrid smell, he turned to the girl who followed suit. Progressing further into the room, Eriol noticed how incredibly stuffy it was. The smell the atmosphere in the chamber pushed down on him until the boy felt himself choke. 

Tomoyo stumbled slightly behind him, hissing as her foot caught something large and angular. She reached down to pick up the accursed object, intending to send it flying across the room and stopped when her hand touched something with a leathery texture. "We should get one of the lanterns from the main hall," she said, moving towards the door now. Eriol didn't say anything, just followed the girl with a considerably fast gait. 

When they entered the room a second time, a simple lamp in hand, an atrocious site greeted them. Dark spots littered the floor, creating a grotesque pattern of sorts; Eriol was certain that the splats were not expensive paint. The small windows near to the top of the ceiling were covered with heavy material, preventing the grey light to seep through. The lamp in his hand, though, allowed him to catch a glimpse of the shadowed containers that lined the walls. 

A sharp intake of breath stopped him. Whirling on his spot, edgy all of a sudden, he saw Tomoyo inching way from a spot on the floor. Looking questioningly at her, he lowered the lantern to where her finger was pointed. Eriol was not a person who got freaked out easily. In fact, he could not remember ever freaking out, in both his lifetimes, and that's saying a lot. He was, though, completely overcome with repulsion at the thing on the floor. 

On the floor there lay a mutilated arm. Now, why would something like an ordinary looking, severed arm spook such an impenetrable person such as Eriol? One reason popes into mind, or one image, to be precise. The amputated arm lay on the floor, the soft glow from the lantern sending rays of light on to the shrivelled appendage. The skin was dry and yellowed, peeling off at the palm and finger area. The muscles and veins were outlined with sharp definition. The desiccated hand was stretched open, the digits slightly curved inward, in a sign of welcoming. 

The whole scene nauseated Eriol, and he turned away from the appendage on the floor focusing instead on the girl, who was clearly distraught. Wrapping the girl in his arms, he moved them away from the grotesque scene and further into the chamber. The dark boxes caught his attention, and he shone the light upon them. Moving closer to them he determined with no small amount of repulsion, that they were cages. He could clearly see the rusty bars and the broken locks, spider webs extending from one corner to the next. At the bottom of the cages were what appeared to be bowls (for feeding, he guessed) and heavy manacles. 

Eriol also caught sight of more human limbs scattered around the wooden boxes. He now knew what that smell was: dried, caked blood. And since he had a name for it, the odour was now even more revolting than he originally thought.

The dark haired girl beside him stirred anxiously. "Forget the rain and the map!" She suddenly exclaimed, walking to the door. "Let us go forth from this place at once!" (A/N: ..always wanted to say that ^^)

While hurrying to catch up to her, Eriol said, "Haste is the enemy of strategy. We need to think about this. We can pretend nothing happened. That way we will not offend our gracious host and stay out of unnecessary trouble until we leave."

"And that could be anytime next month!" She rounded on him, her anxiety climaxing. "I am not willing to sacrifice the well-being of our company for the sake of appearances."

With that, she whirled on her spot and proceeded to the door. Her progress was quickly halted by the shadowy figure in the doorway. Her breath caught in her throat, Tomoyo backtracked until she was next to Eriol.

The boy detected definite hostility from the shadowed Lilliputian, so he shielded the girl with his body and faced his opponent. Taking a deep breath and squaring off his shoulders, he said to the man: "Who are you and what do you want with us?"

(tbc)

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(1) Trale Eccor — in our language it would mean "cuisine for dummies" ^^ 

(2) ish fer noit porackrate turfer — means "to boil water, put pan over fire" 

Who do you think the "shadowed Lilliputian" is? Was it good? Bad? The usual crap?


	14. Verrat

A/N: I'm not *that* late with the posting, am I? Sorry, this was a very difficult chapter to write. Also, I had a huge watercolour painting to do and a Literacy test to write. Soooooo much work. 

Disclaimer: Do I have to repeat it? I no own, you no sue. 

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Part IV: Tribulations: Verrat 

__

Hate and bitterness are the only weapons wielded by the blade. 

- Thomas Gregory

He sat upon his throne, a glass of crimson wine in his hand and cold eyes stretched along the vast expanse of time and space. There, miles away from his comfortably dim chamber, were the objects of his scrutiny and odium. He watched with dullness and contempt marring his pretty eyes as the scene unfolded itself before him, like pieces of a puzzle he mustered long ago yet still held a fascination with. He gazed as piece upon jagged piece fell into place, further adding to the picture and piquing his perverse curiosity.

He watched as the boy turned to face his henchman, protecting the girl with his body, like a shield of blood and flesh. There was something so endearing in watching the two teens, it brought a twinge of jealousy to his cold heart. He hated this feeling, hated what it done to him, how it enveloped his mind, turning all his thoughts into incoherent gibber. He was a man of logic; all he ever needed in life was his intellect and his sword. He had no time for pitiful emotions such as love; they were the kismet of human kind, bringers of destruction and death. 

On the other hand, the fiery rage that laced through the man's body brought a shiver of perverse pleasure to him, exciting him all the way down to his newly polished boots. The sensations such thoughts awoke in him, the surge of undiluted power he felt when the prey succumbed to his will. The knowledge that he, and no other man who breathed the same air and lived under the same sun, was capable of complete — almost maddening — control. The horrified expression on his victims' faces that solidified his hold on power. That was ecstasy, he thought. That was what life was all about. To take from the weak and pitiful and turn it into something glorious. 

The picture changed and the man now watched as a woman bent down to pick up her distraught child, wiping away the tears that fell from the infant's closed eyes. In another scene, a commoner walked along the path leading to a shed, some kind of primitive tool slung across his back. A weather-bitten street urchin running across a street, carrying gleaming red tomatoes in his bony arms was now shown. Disgusting, he thought. 

He hated them, the whole crazy world. He hated the way every one of the pathetic people breathed and moved with ungraceful ugliness. He loathed their stench, the reek of the streets mingling with that of labour and of sweat, permeating his nostrils and making him vomit. He abhorred watching as they talked, uncultured and inadequate-like, the way spit dribbled down their chins and throats as they drunk their ale. He smirked in disgust, turning to his own sweet nectar of doom.

They were pathetic; everything they did resembled savage interactions. Barbarians. "Those who are weak have no aptitude for power, therefore, their life is meaningless," he was taught once upon a time. The same man told him that life was but a flicker of white against the black universe; that in order to achieve some sort of distinction, all one needed was to gain the variety of colour. He was determined to separate himself from these barbaric creatures, to stand out against the blackness. 

The scene before him switched back to the two youngsters. The girl, he noted, grinning crookedly, was charming enough. He liked the way her eyes seemed to be radiating a ferocious intensity at that moment, the set of her delicate jaw. Through the time and distance, he could nevertheless feel the intensity of her determination and graceful poise. He smirked, taking another sip of the bittersweet liquid. She would be a nice addition to his collection; a perfect doll for the perfect playmate. The boy though, was a nuisance, an excellent example of a gallant charade. It would not do to leave the boy running all over the place; a cockroach needed to be squashed before an infestation began, the man thought, the corners of his lips upturning into a cruel smirk. 

Smirking once again, the man looked at the red liquid in its glass containment, the tiny air bubbles surfacing as he placed the goblet to his lips. Swallowing, he let it burn all the way to his stomach, where it created a vortex of swirly patterns. From the corner of his eye, he caught a measly bug crawling along the marble tiles. Grinning maliciously, he upturned the glass goblet, the fluid trickling painfully slow to the ground, drenching the critter in a blood-coloured tsunami. 

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Tomoyo stood facing their opponent, Eriol standing guard in front of her, shielding her in case of physical rebuke. Without even realising it, she sought out his hand, grasping it in her own. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, the sound vibrating annoyingly into her ears. She, and no doubt Eriol as well, felt the unyielding hostility coming from the little man enveloped in the shadows. Limitless amount of equally horrible scenarios ran through her head, and not one of them included the possibility that this was just some sick joke. 

Eriol stole a glance at her, which she caught and deciphered its meaning. Within his blue orbs, she read his warning and his hastily fashioned plan. He silently told her to run at any sight of danger, to forget him and save herself. She slowly nodded her affirmation, not really meaning it at all. The epitome of chivalry in the face of an unseen foe. Despite her slender physique, she was not one to give up without a fight. Tomoyo would back him up with everything she had; what was the purpose of a camaraderie without the knowledge of the other supporting you all the way through? 

Poised for a fight, Eriol demanded the name of their adversary. The man remained silent, blocking the little light that flooded through the opened doorway. Slowly, with calculated and even steps, he walked into the room and into the range of the lamp light. Tomoyo stifled a sigh of relief upon seeing Goreneil, letting go of Eriol's hand while doing so. She let the relief wash over her, dulling her into a calm state, which did justice to her equilibrium. 

She still sensed apprehensiveness coming from Eriol and knew that Goreneil felt it, too. Sparing a warning glance at Eriol, in doing so notifying to him to act casual, Tomoyo turned to their host and said: "We were looking for you — I was wondering if you had a map? We got lost and somehow ended up in this...." She paused, choosing her words carefully, "...storage room."

Goreneil's face visibly brightened and that certain radiance that belonged only to him was back. Moving closer to her, he patted her hand and whispered, "'ood gal. E'll bee yers oone day." The girl's face flushed at this sentiment, though for the life of her she could not determine why. With that, the man turned back to the doorway, gesturing for them to follow. Tomoyo took another look around the room, a cold shiver running down her spine, before she dragged a reluctant Eriol to the hall. 

Along the way, Goreneil chatted amiably, mentioning the damage to his crops and the overflowing riverbanks. Tomoyo thought it was rather odd, surely the man saw the horrid scene in that chamber. Why was he acting so calm about it? A part of her insisted that he simply mistook the cages for containers of some kind. She genuinely liked the Lilliputian, his vivacious attitude towards life brought a certain pizzazz to his character, and she couldn't help but feel addicted to it. In many ways it reminded her of Sakura and herself. One drew cheerfulness from the other, extinguishing the painful ache while doing so. 

She noted with a small trace of concern that Eriol was hanging back, lost in his own thoughts. Tomoyo wondered what was bothering the Untouchable Eriol, but the stoic mask on his face revealed nothing of great value. She joined into Goreneil's lively chatter, keeping her eyes on the boy just in case. She was still adamant about leaving the place, but she had to admit, Eriol was right about having to need a plan. To be on the safe side, she feigned calmness in front of their host.

"Ah've seen to yer friendes. Nakuru's been feedin' Spin'l some o' mi favorite biscuites." The little man said jokingly, his dark eyes sparkling in the dimness. 

"What is the poor creature doing right now?" Tomoyo asked, fighting to keep her voice light. 

"'E's upe in te lampe, playin' with the lightes," said he, giving off a hearty guffaw. 

Tomoyo laughed half-heartedly and resumed talking about frivolous things with the little man. As they progressed through the corridors, she heard the distant roar of thunder and frowned. It appeared that the storm was still raging, which meant that the troupe would not leave for at least twenty-four hours. She couldn't help but feel apprehension sink its clutches further under her skin. It was a lingering sensation that floated topmost in her mind, sending small tremors through her body. It annoyed her somewhat, she did not like feeling vulnerable, nor did she like the fear tickling her senses. 

She noted with disapproval that Eriol was still lagging behind her, bumping into walls and occasionally herself. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him closer to her, awaking him from his reverie while doing so. What are you doing? His eyes seemed to ask her. Smiling lightly, feeling the apprehension abate to some degree, she shrugged, unconsciously providing him with the answer he was looking for. '_I was worried,'_ she meant. All this happened within the matter of seconds and their escort was none the wiser.

Goreneil broke out in a jovial song, that strange language making a début. Tomoyo laughed, her equilibrium restored to normal. Surely whatever it was that they saw was nothing more than a trick of the mind and excitement of the moment. Their imaginations playing games with their already fragile minds. There was nothing to worry about but the journey ahead. It was at that moment that a crashing sound wafted to their ears. 

Eriol instantly perked up, "What was that?" 

Goreneil shook his head, stifling giggles, "Problie yer friendes. Spin'l muste've upturnede the tablie in 'is hurry tah get the sweetes."

Tomoyo, however doubtful, nodded her head in agreement, secretively nudging Eriol with her elbow. "Yes, you are right," the boy responded with a light shrug and a grin.

Continuing on their way, Goreneil whistling merrily, Tomoyo settled her mind on little things to distract herself. She marvelled — or at least as one could possibly come to in her position — at the little trinkets hanging on the walls, serving as the main decor. A dust covered painting there, a mouldy crochét article here. Somewhere along the way she noticed that they were taking an extremely long time to get to their destination, which would have taken them ten minutes at most to reach. She chose to refrain from commenting, seeing it as nothing of importance. 

After a time, Goreneil deposited in front of an oak door, excusing himself while looking for the keys in his trouser pockets. Leaning casually on the doorframe, Eriol drawled languidly, "That was quite a scare back there, wasn't it?"

"Oh, yes! It was terribly frightening!" Tomoyo said, acting out the perfect damsel in distress, at which Eriol's grin broadened. "I'm so glad you were there to protect me, oh Glorious and Noble One!"

"Glad to be of service, mi lady," he replied in a flamboyant British accent, curtseying grandly. Tomoyo giggled and batted her eyelashes in the same ostentatious fashion. 

"A! 'Ere we goo! Teh keys!" Exclaimed Goreneil, interrupting their moment and shuffling over to the door. 

Once the door was opened, the two teens showed themselves in, pausing only when unfamiliar darkness greeted them. They heard the door close behind them with an uneasy heaviness. They were completely enveloped in darkness, and when Goreneil lit a lamp — Eriol's going out during their walk— Tomoyo gasped. More cages greeted them, the scattered appendages standing out in the soft light. She turned with horror-stricken expression — much to her displeasure— to the Lilliputian, whose little face was contorted into a sadistic mask. 

"Welcome to your new home," he said, no trace of the thick accent, his dark eyes twinkling cruelly underneath his eyebrows. 

"Why?" the word left Tomoyo's lips before she could even comprehend thinking of it. 

The man grinned, the facial lines that she found so endearing twisting wickedly around the eyes and mouth. "What did you expect, Little One? That I would simply let you pass through my territory, stay in my home for nothing?" 

Feeling a little stung though hiding it behind a well-practiced frown, Tomoyo asked quietly: "But why this?" At which she received no answer. 

"We will not let you cage us like animals," Eriol spoke up for the first time, his voice holding an intimidating air. 

Goreneil smirked, his teeth showing in a jagged line, and remained silent. He moved further into the room, grinning all the while. Slowly, the leering face was becoming longer, the nose stretching into a crocked hook, the bottom lip sagging all the way to the wrinkly chin. Tomoyo watched in horror-generated fascination as the forehead expanded like a deformed balloon, the curly hairs falling off one by one, exposing the brownish skin. The bright eyes, at which addictive brilliance she once marvelled, turned large and muddy yellow, the pupils disappearing to tiny dots. The limbs, previously appearing charming in their shortness, grew into grotesquely distorted proportions, bony and long. The clothes ripped off as the back pushed into them, the spleen standing out in a bumpy ridge. (A/N: this is rather difficult to describe, imagine something like Gollum from LOTR)

"What are you?" Breathed out Tomoyo, scarcely believing that she still had the gift of voice. 

The newly formed creature grinned with its large mouth, the bottom lip toughing its sharp teeth. "I am a Doppelganger, a Shapeshifter," it informed them, its voice coming out in a harsh, guttural sound (1). 

"What do you want with us?" Eriol said vehemently, though inside he was near quivering.

The creature closed its large eyes, hiding his frightful orbs from sight. Licking its dried lips, the Doppelganger shifted from foot to foot, the backs of the hands brushing over the floor. "Take a wild guessss?" It hissed out once it opened its eyes. 

"Surely you are not implying that...that..."Tomoyo began, breaking off when the possibilities seemed too horrible to think about. 

"That iss exactly what I'm implying, girlie," 

"We did nothing wrong! Whatever you are, you have no right to contain us!" She exclaimed, trying to beat sense into the creature.

Hissing lowly, the creature lunged at the girl, grabbing her arm with an overlarge callous hand. "I have the right to do whatever I pleassse!" It said into Tomoyo's face, the foul breath tickling her cheek. "You will ssstay here until I tell you otherwissse." 

"Let her go!" Eriol bellowed, coming to the girl's defence. He grabbed the creature's wrinkly hand, forcefully prying it off Tomoyo's arm. The Doppelganger sucked in a sharp breath; it's pupils expanding into dark circles. In a move too fast for Tomoyo to fully comprehend, the creature brought his other hand and grazed it over Eriol's torso, pushing the boy to the floor in the confusion. Tomoyo just stood petrified on her spot, watching as the creature huffed infuriatingly and left the room, locking the door and taking the lamp. 

What'd just happen? She asked herself, scarcely deciphering the difference between the real world and that of the dream. In the fraction of a couple of minutes, she lost a friend, who was not a friend after all, she got herself captured and decided the course of their destinies. All without her being aware of it. Feeling the shock wear off to a dull nagging at the back of her mind, she returned back to the present situation. She was surrounded by darkness, she did not know when the creature would be back and she did not know were Eriol disappeared to. 

"Some help here," breathed out Eriol from the floor. 

Getting on her knees, Tomoyo crawled in Eriol's direction, guided by his voice. Sitting beside the boy, who to her appeared to be sprawled on the floor, she blindly sought out his hand. Her fingers touched something wet and she heard the boy stifle a gasp.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly, feeling lost in the oppressing darkness.

"It's nothing," he replied calmly, but she could swear that there was a grimace on his face. 

"No, it is definitely something," she retorted. "I heard you gasp, which means that something is not right."

"It's just a scratch."

"Just a scratch! Men have died because of 'just scratches'," She searched for the wet spot again, only to discover it blocked by his hand. Sighing frustratedly, she said, "Can't you do something about the dark, oh Great Eriol-kun?"

"I'll try," Eriol replied, chuckling lightly. With that, he unleashed the magic and an instance later a sphere of light appeared. She marvelled at the shining globe; magic always amazed her, even though she spent half her lifetime surrounded by it.

"Now, what about that scratch of yours?" Shifting her attention to his abdomen, only to discover it covered by his hands. This time, concern really did make its way into her system, settling at the bottom of her stomach with irritating intensity. "Please let me see, I'm worried about you, you know."

Before Eriol was able to get even a single syllable out of his mouth, the hands on his chest were seized by Tomoyo and forcefully removed from the "scratch". The girl looked at the gash, her breath caught in her throat and heart dropping to the cold floor. "It's not that bad," Eriol said. Even though his voice sounded strong and reassuring, Tomoyo couldn't help but feel a stamp titled "ouch!" imprint itself on the situation.

Feeling a tingling sensation just behind her eyelids, Tomoyo reached for his collar, undoing the first two buttons. Clow Reincarnate looked at her from beneath dark bangs, the eyes inquiring on her actions but muscles too weak or unwilling to function in the strangeness of the situation. "I need to see the wound properly and somehow clean it," she said, keeping her eyes on the task in front of her. 

The little "scratch" turned out to be one whopper of a wound; three deep cuts marring the ivory-like skin of his chest, each approximately six inches in length and two in depth. The crimson blood tainted the white shirt beside him, making her eyes hurt. She swore she could see small traces of bone peeking out from the bloodied layers of muscle, which looked almost purple in the dim light. And by the looks of it, the gash was bleeding openly. 

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she touched the area around the cut with a tentative finger, which executed a pain filled hiss from Eriol. "Sorry," she murmured, her eyes tracing the expanse of his bloodied chest. "I need to disinfect it before it leaves you incapacitated," she said, the tactical part of her taking control; she was, after all, trained in the field of emergency procedures.

Eriol nodded weakly and simply watched as she crawled closer to the cages in order to find some sort of container. She found a bowl of water in a corner and returned with the precious cargo to the boy's side. Taking off the outer layer of her skirt (at which Eriol blushed slightly) and used it as pillow for his head. Tomoyo used Eriol's shirt, soiled and useless as it was, to wipe off the access blood. She wetted the end of the now ruined shirt in the bowl and looked into his face.

"This will hurt a little, but it has to be done." She said, not a small amount of worry on her face. 

"I've never been one who foolishly fears pain." He replied, his voice hoarse from clenching his jaw. 

Gently, afraid of pressing too hard and in the result hurting Eriol, Tomoyo swiped around the edges of the gashes. She noted the small creasing of the boy's brows and the tightening of his lips, and with a pity-filled expression continued to daub the cloth onto the wound. When she was done with the cleaning process, she tore a section of her skirt (seeing as to how Eriol's shirt were no longer usable) to use for bandaging. Manoeuvring his body as to cause him as less discomfort as possible, she wrapped the strip of cloth over his abdomen. 

"Thank you nurse Daidouji-san, I feel brand spanking new," Eriol joked to lighten the atmosphere, even though humour completely slipped from Tomoyo's mind when she saw his injury. 

She noticed that the boy was shivering and shifted closer to him, placing his head on her shoulder. Sweeping the faint hairs off his forehead, she asked what he thought about their present situation.

"I should have foreseen it," he replied, traces of anger making their way into his voice. "I am the one with the magical powers; it's my entire fault that we're in this sorry mess. If only I'd...."

"Eriol," she shushed him with a mere word, "if we keep on relying on the 'if's and the 'what if's, don't you think it'd be pretty boring? We live right now, for this moment and instant; what could have been is not important, what is, though, is that we regard the future with determination and valour."

The boy murmured something incoherent, and Tomoyo decided to change the topic, afraid of him falling asleep. "Do you think the others are all right?"

"I hope so; it is better that some of us making back to our world rather than none at all."

She wondered when the creature would be back, already dreading the encounter. She knew that Eriol's consciousness was slipping away from him like the sand in an hourglass. She feared the time when he did fall prey to the world of the comatose, it meant that she would have to face the creature alone and that the worry clutching at her stomach muscles would intensify. She prayed for strength to keep up her vigilance, prayed for Eriol and the others. She needed a miracle in the time of gloom, and it did not get any more dismal than at that moment. 

For a long while, or at least that's what it seemed to her, she spent watching the sparkling light of the magic globe, unwittingly counting Eriol's breathing patterns. Sometime after, she reckoned it was nightfall in the outside world, the boy's muscles relaxed and the head dropped from her shoulder, landing the cradle of her arms. In the next couple of hours, Eriol slipped into feverish delirium, occasionally murmuring unintelligible words. Tomoyo watched with incessant worry tugging at her heart as sweat trickled down his face, the dark hairs matting to the forehead. Once in while, he stirred, which caused a shiver of hope to run down her spine, only to be extinguished when Eriol broke out in spasmodic tremors. 

She sat with his limp form embraced protectively in her arms, rocking him gently and watching the light. The faint glow seemed to be getting dimmer and dimmer as time wore on, but she no longer cared; she would rather welcome the darkness. When everything was surrounded by nothing but black (and at one point the glowing orb did faint into nothing), no one would be able to see her cry, only the soft intakes of breath indicating a change in her. She couldn't help but blame herself. It was because of her that Eriol was injured in the first place; if only she kept her stupid mouth shut, he wouldn't be limp in her arms and dying. Why him? The question drifted into her mind unwittingly. He, if no one else, deserved to live; such a beautiful person had a whole beautiful life ahead of him. And so, for the first time since she realised that Sakura was forever lost to her, she cried, not bothering to wipe off the hot tears.

She had lost all sense of time and place, all there was at that moment was a slowly cooling body in her arms, the blood staining her clothes and the numb sensation in her chest. She could not determine whether hours passed by or days, just that Eriol was dying and she was helpless to do to a thing about it. She hummed softly, unknowingly running her fingers through his hair. Stifling a forlorn sigh, she pressed her lips to his temple, murmuring silly promises, not caring whether he heard or not. 

The door was suddenly flung open, the wood splintering in some places. In came the creature in an odd sort of crawl, behind the being stood shadowed figures. Tomoyo shielded her eyes from the bright light entering the room, drawing Eriol's body closer to her, protecting him just as he protected her. She stifled curses at the intruders and shuddered when their gaze landed on her. The Doppelganger, that repulsive creature, turned to the dark figures, saying something in that strange language. Both nodded, moving into the room, ropes slung across their backs. 

Tomoyo saw the blank stares on their faces and clutched Eriol tighter. "No," she said, her voice hoarse from misuse. She knew that they wanted to take Eriol away from her, where to, she was too exhausted to think about. The creatures still advanced, "Please, no," she pleaded, stronger this time. "Anything, just not him! Please!" She cried, scuttling all the way into the back of the room. 

The creatures' expressions remained vacant, only one purpose on their minds. She drove her nails into Eriol's skin, trying to savour his presence for as long as possible, knowing perfectly well that there was no escape from the inevitable. Whimpering, she just let them come at her, guarding Eriol until the last moment.

When they were done, the boy's body draped over one creature's shoulder, Tomoyo was nothing but a rumpled heap of soiled clothing, staring blankly at their retreating backs. He was gone, forever most likely. She lost. The last thing she saw before the door closed to leave her in the darkness, was the Doppelganger's grinning face, the teeth almost shining with the faint light. 

_Thus ends the fourth part of this story, Tribulations. This moment also _

preludes the beginning of the next part, Segregation. 

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(1) Actual Doppelgangers are different from my description, but for the sake of the story, let's pretend that I did absolutely nothing wrong. 

Mwahahahahahaha! Yes, I am evil. Eval I tell you!! *hides behind her pillow* please don't kill me...

On a different note, *sigh* I suck at writing, seriously, I do. I use too much flowery language without enough thought provoking content. Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead....go ahead, stop reading, you know it's boring... Any suggestions on improvement? I really need help...Did I make Eriol look like a sissy?

Next episode: we get to see what happened to poor Eriol-kun. Will he live, or be taken by the cold clutches of death? And who's that I see making a special appearance?


	15. Kitto OK

A/N:.....I've discovered Gackt..... He is God.... On a different note... sorry I've been so late with the update, but I've been going through some major changes. First, I'm thinking about changing the plot of the story a bit (seeing as to how I have an affinity for sad stories). Also, I'm trying to change my writing style. I might post other multi-chapter stories later in the week. And, some paintings are completely eating up my time (can anyone out there draw?)

Disclaimer: Refer to other chapters for official legal jargon. Norganan (the language used from thence on) is property of Ruesar. Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! I love you for it!

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Part V: Segregation: Kitto OK

Eriol felt as if he was floating in a sea of darkness, where everything that he saw and everything that he felt was nothingness. It was an odd disembodied sensation, one of spiritual awareness yet without the sense of being or time. Eriol tried to move his weary limbs, to reach out and rip off the dark shroud concealing him, but his muscles refused to obey his commands. He felt impotent, a useless shell drifting and drifting. _'Where?!'_ he heard his mind scream, the sound ringing through the thick darkness. _'Where am I? What's happening?!'_ he called out once again, flinching slightly as only taunting nothingness met him. It was pressing, pulsing all around him, a threatening force he could neither see or sense but somehow managed to do irreparable damage to his system. 

He remembered feeling acute pain race through his body, though he could not remember why. He tried to concentrate on coherent thought, on those precious fragments of his scattered memory, but the darkness was heavy and it was weighing down on him. An overwhelming choking sensation imbued his system, sending his mind reeling with the immensity of it. He gasped, the air escaping his lungs in forced puffs. Realizing that struggling would further harm his situation, he relaxed and let himself float.

At one point, Eriol felt warm lips press to his throbbing temple; a simple gesture of care and affection. It sent a warm flush through his body. He wasn't sure, though, if those lips were real or just a fragment of his fever enticed delirium. Later on, he heard distant voices reaching his ears in odd distorted sounds. He strained his ears to them, longing with all his might to understand the jumbled words, with no amount of success. The voices stopped and Eriol felt cold hands gripping him, dragging his body; to where, he did not know. 

After a time, Eriol felt the ground give way, leaving him suspended mid-air. It was with a jolt of panic that he realised he was being moved. Invigorated with that startling sensation, he forced his eyes open. Eriol saw noting at first, and he was beginning to fear that he had somehow lost his sight, when the darkness cleared and he saw blurry shapes move. Had he paid more attention or concentrated harder, he would have seen the three figures hovering over him. Relieved that he was at least able to see, however vaguely, Eriol let the darkness take him once more. 

The next time Eriol felt some semblance of consciousness, he was no longer moving — or rather, floating— but was lying on his belly. He tried to lift up his head, but as soon as he initiated the action, a sharp ache raced through his body. Stifling a hiss, the boy relaxed his muscles. Cold and warmth moved in waves through his body, pausing at his toes and fingertips before beginning another pyretic cycle. He wondered when his shirt disappeared and where his glasses were. Carefully, all too aware of the aches all tugging at his limbs, Eriol shifted his position. 

The shroud of darkness no longer surrounded him, and the soreness throughout his person proved that he was, indeed, still alive. Various aches sprang throughout his body and his head felt oddly light, but at least he could still feel at all. He heard voices moving to his direction, and he rejoiced that he could actually discern individual voices. 

"Kihae daae wha-aeah tahocfo hyu os?" (1) A raspy voice asked.

The second replied with a minute's hesitation. "Eh sayugigiehri, O riyumfoaec." (2)

"Hyu saeriyu os mahtayu tahaeahgih." (3)

A third voice soon joined the other two."Kihwha ehriyu wha-aeah takiae hehripaoyus koaeotayuriocgi ehriaeahcda? Giyuta ehkiehwha sayufiraeriyu O tahriaeki wha-aeah sa-aetah taae tahyu paotas!" (4) This one sounded more authoritative and gruff; it sent a chill crawling down Eriol's back. He instinctively lifted his head, sucking in a sharp breath at the pain the action brought, and took a look. He couldn't see much from his current position, being on the floor and in the dark, but from what he was able to glimpse, he was located in a cell of sorts. 

Eriol prayed that the speakers did not catch his subtle action, lest something bad would happen, he feared. The three figures soon left, leaving Eriol alone with his aches and pains again. He wondered what they discussed. Him, surely; he would never know. 

Eriol, with his infinite knowledge and experience, could never remember being in such a predicament. On one side, he doubted he could move a muscle, on the other side (and the one he liked less of the two) he was alone. Tomoyo..? He remembered little of their last meeting, but surely it was unpleasant. He could recall fragments of conversation, but it seemed a jumbled and incomprehensible blur to him. A thread of fear laced through him, making his stomach swirl with some unpleasant sensation. What if she was captured? Incapacitated and lonely, like him?... Or worse, what if she was dead? The possibility of her fragile body mutilated beyond recognition, laying somewhere amongst the dark corridors was not pleasant and he stored that image far away, for later, less dangerous times to dwell on. 

His guardians...? Eriol had known the two since they were first conceived in his imagination. Though yes, they did tend to bicker a lot, they also cared for one another. He had little to no doubt that the two, however unfortunate, were alive and well. Spinel, he knew, would remain calm and rationalized, whereas Nakuru would panic himself to near insanity. Together, they would work something out, if they didn't kill each other before then. He just hoped that they found his Tomoyo and nurtured her to safety, while there was still time. 

Right now, though, his own health was the more important part of the predicament. Eriol was aware that he was probably injured at one point, though he was not able to identify the source of the pain. He also suspected that he had a fever and an infection, not a pleasant notion in total. He could do nothing about it, though. The aches and pains, although burdensome, would heal in time, hopefully. Eriol, surprisingly exhausted beyond belief, let his mind rest for the meanwhile. 

"Hyuwha."

Eriol thought he heard something, but it was too soft and he dismissed it as part of fever induced hallucinations. Sleep refused to claim him, so the boy settled on listening to the wind hitting the rafters. It had a soothing effect on him, and soon he felt the tension drain from his body.

"Hyuwha, wha-aeah.." (5)

Startled, Eriol nearly jumped from his position, which sent pain shooting down his spine and into the pit of his stomach. In the momentary confusion, the boy began to grope for something — anything that would provide protection from the unseen foe. Sadly, he found only dirt and hey, both of which were as useful as ear wax. Having no other weapon, Eriol steeled his nerves and called out: "Who's there? Answer before I cause you trouble." In truth, he doubted he could harm even a fly in his weakened state, but what the enemy did not see, would work to his advantage. 

"...Oh, wha-aeah da-aec'ta spayuehfo nwha koehcgiahehgiyu...." (6) the disembodied voice replied, sounding a bit confused. As soon as the words were said, a head popped out from somewhere in the darkness. Eriol, bewildered in the first place, could barely contain the knot in his throat from escaping (he just noticed it was there in the first place). Eriol remained silent though, curiously surveying the stranger. From the little light available to him, the boy could distinguish a pale face with seemingly wild eyes and even wilder hair. Still wary of the intruder, Eriol just watched as the other boy watched him in return. 

Seemingly unnerved by the awkward silence, the blue eyed boy came — or crawled — closer. "...What's your name?" he asked and Eriol gaped. Here was Eriol, nearly paralysed from shock and fever stricken, on top of it all, he was probably held captive somewhere and facing a lifetime of hard labour as a slave, and this stranger was asking his name? Was the boy completely out of his mind? Eriol did not know, but prudence dictated he exercise caution.

"Eriol. My name is Eriol," he replied through the lump in his throat.

"Eriol, huh? Well my name's Taekie, but you can call me Tae. It's nice to meet someone else. I've been stuck here for a while now and haven't seen a soul 'cept the guards and the Pahcaoshyuris (7). The last guy that was thrown in here — that was about a month or two ago — was tortured to death, or so I've heard from some of the guards. Hope you'll last. It's not as bad here as you first think, really. At first...." 

During the entire time this "Tae" spoke, Eriol just gazed on dazedly. It was clear that the boy was conversation starved (amongst other things) but Eriol felt an instant liking to him. Tae seemed to radiate a certain careless exuberance, an addictive vivaciousness that reminded him of Nakuru. However, Tae appeared a bit too unconcerned about their enslavement, and it seemed to Eriol like another scam, similar to the deceitful Doppelganger (curse his name!). He was determined no to fall into the same trap again; God knew he have already lost too much. The ex-sorcerer tried to get in a few words edgewise, to ask the questions that were now beginning to crowd his mind, but he found the effort to open and close his mouth too straining. So in the meanwhile he let Tae talk his heart's content, letting the bubbly voice lull him to a dull state of wakefulness.

"...Really surprised when they brought you in, I was," continued Taekie. "I was just getting ready for a rest, been working non-stop since the weaning of the moons, you know. Then I hear the guards fussing over something. So I think to myself, 'What's this racket all about? Been doing some more scavengering, eh?' I decided to take a look, and what do you know! I see a guy being dragged in! It's always trouble when the new ones come in, so I decided to lay low. I was just mindin' my own business, spying on the guards and such, and bam! Next thing I know, my cell's being opened and the new guy's my new neighbour!" 

At this point Tae paused the flow of words from his mouth and surveyed said "neighbour" with a sceptical brow arched delicately. "You don't look so good. They beat you pretty bad, huh? No big surprise there... I was beginning to wonder why you were just laying there, barely breathing and all..." Taekie looked at Eriol again and edged a bit closer to the boy on the floor, poking him with a prodding finger. "Do you want some help or something?"

Eriol on his side of the conversation (or lack thereof) could barely comprehend the words said to him. Everything seemed a hazy blur, with Tae's face a featureless shape hovering in the dark. He suddenly felt cold to gripping at his sides, sending waves of dull aches through his body. He tried to fight it, tried to remember bits of conversation and the cause of his predicament, but the cold's grip was stronger and he found himself forgetting near to everything. Unable to fend off the coldness, he let it numb his senses, sending his mind on a trip to unconscious abyss. He felt his eyelids droop and his head lolled to the side. At the back of his mind, Eriol jokingly thought that he must've looked like a rag doll, but the sense of humour abandoned him, and he just let himself be. The last thing he felt before consciousness escaped from him, was a burning throb in his wound, spreading pain through the rest of him.

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From the moment he first layed his eyes on the boy, Taekie knew he needed help. The way his shoulders sagged and the pale, lifeless look on the lad screamed out to him. Tae remembered with perfect clarity what it was like the first time he came to the Colosseum. When he looked in the boy's, Eriol's, eyes that first time, he saw the fear — fear he saw often, it made him sick nowadays — and the unspeakable grief of loss. He was that way, too, before he realized that time would not wait for him unless he made the effort to catch it. Tae also sensed the magic radiating off of Eriol. It was weak and damaged by something he could not define, but that distinct aura was definitely there. Given time, effort and hard training, Tae was sure he could nurse the boy's dwindling powers back to normal. That was why he decided to help Eriol no matter the cost.

Currently, Tae was looking at Eriol's slumped form, flinching slightly from the grotesque sight of the boy's abdomen. He was surprised a bit when the boy's body was dumped in the corner of his cell. He was downright shocked when he saw the nasty gash on Eriol's stomach. It resembled something from the pit of nightmares, rotting and mutilated beyond recognition. The skin around it was turning purplish-brown, bits of flesh dipping into the drying blood. Greenish-yellow puss was beginning to form in the deeper parts of the gash. The red life-fluid itself was dark maroon and emitted a distinct coppery scent. From the looks of it, the wound was infected and was causing a fever. A shiver ran down Tae's spine as the sight. What could have caused such an injury? He have never seen anything like it. He was also afraid of Eriol's reaction, which is why he kept his mouth shut about it. 

Cringing, Taekie took another look at the wound and decided to do something. When he noticed that Eriol slipped out of consciousness, he took out a knife he secretly hid in the sole of his shoe and knelt beside the boy. Carefully removing the sodden bandages (or what remained of them) — what were they made of? — he exposed the rest of the gash to the wane light. Steeling his stomach against the onslaught of nausea, he used the little knife to pick away at the dried blood. That done, he proceeded to cleanse the wound with a little water (which was dirty to begin with) and a rag. It was not an easy task, he thought he would pass out on numerous occasions from the smell alone. After he was done with the cleaning process, Tae took out a small leather pouch from the inside of his tunic. Untying the fasteners, he emptied the contents onto his palm: a few shrivelled herbs and three shiny, round stones. The stones he put back in the punch, the leaves he crushed and chewed up. Taking the mixture out of his mouth, he spread it on his fingers and then put into the wound, at which point Eriol sucked in a sharp breath. To finish off, Tae re-wrapped the bandages and propped Eriol's head against a pile of straws. (A/N: I'm sorry I had to feature this, it hurt me more than it hurt you ;_______;)

Exhausted with the strain, Tae sat against a soot-covered wall, surveying his patient and from then on charge. He knew that Eriol was not an ordinary young man, haplessly ending up in the worst place one can possibly end up in, but that question would be answered with patience. Right now they needed to get out of this dreadful place and find safety, where every turn did not harbour enemies. The war was coming closer and closer, he could feel it like a dark stain on white clothing. He feared that he would somehow get involved in the bloodshed. Tae watched mindlessly as Eriol twitched slightly, fighting his own battles.

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When Eriol woke up, he felt pain shooting up and down his spine, but aside from that and a minor headache, he felt much better. He carefully propped himself on an elbow. The action initiated another wave of pain and he nearly growled in frustration. Eriol did no know how long he had been asleep, but the aches felt as if they had plagued him for a while. He was tired of feeling useless, he need to find out where he was and how to escape, to find his friends (if they were still alive).

"You better be careful, you have a wound on your stomach," A voice suddenly said from off to his left. 

Eriol turned his head to the speaker. It was the same boy he talked to earlier. _'So that wasn't a dream,_' he thought. His vision was clearer this time and there seemed to be more light, so he was able to properly survey the other boy. Tae appeared to be no older than himself (A/N: if anyone doesn't remember, he's 17) with an elfin face, bright cerulean eyes and messy chestnut hair trapped in a ponytail. Eriol wondered how someone as innocent looking as Tae could end up in such an awful place.

Heeding the boy's words, Eriol looked to his stomach, and sure enough, there was bandage there. He carefully touched a brown spot on the cloth and bit his tongue. Had he been a weaker man and had his throat not been as dry as a desert, he would have screamed. 

"Hey, hey, hey! I told you to be careful!" exclaimed Tae as he scooted closer to Eriol's side. "This thing is pretty deep. I put some ointment in it to lessen the sting and help it heal, but it should still be sore. Where did you get it anyway?"

Eriol though about that for a moment. He remembered when the Doppelganger attacked him, causing the injury. He did not want Tae to know, however, for it might reveal some unnecessary information. "I can't remember. It might have been on a branch," he replied through the dryness in his throat. 

"Oh. Well, it doesn't matter how you got it, the point is: it's nasty and it's infected," stated Tae. Then he took out a flask from somewhere on his person and brought it to Eriol's lips. 

Eriol greedily took the offered drink, allowing the fluid to flow freely into his willing mouth. As soon as he did that, he spat it back out. "What is this? It tastes like mud!"

Taekie shrugged nonchalantly and said: "It's ale. There is not enough fresh water going around this place, you have to make do with what you have. Besides, it should warm you up nicely. Drink, I need you in a working condition. Do you have any idea how you got here?"

Tae was right, the ale, although bitter, left a fiery trail down his oesophagus, warming up his entire body. Eriol shook his head. "No, I don't remember anything, besides my name." he replied. He purposely withheld the information about Tomoyo and his guardians, afraid to somehow cause them harm. He decided to change the subject. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"_Me_?" asked Tae a bit flustered. "No one's ever asked about just me before... Well, my story starts a long time ago, I'm sure you don't want to hear it."

"I have all the time in the world, or at least until I die from this," Eriol said jokingly, gesturing toward his bandaged abdomen. 

"Hey, hey! It's no time for jokes, ya hear?"He chuckled slightly, at what Eriol did not know. "Besides, there will be another time and place for me to tell you the history of me." 

Eriol wondered why Tae avoided the question. He hoped that the boy's past would tell him something of what he was truly made of. It seemed to him that the other boy was afraid. Perhaps he feared that his past would come to haunt him, Eriol himself had to deal with that problem at one point or another. Being Clow Reed had it's drawbacks. All the infinite knowledge contained in the body of a mere boy, for example. At times Eriol felt that knowledge pressing on him, threatening to overwhelm him. Oh, how he longed to be like any other teenager. Curious though he was, he allowed Tae that bit of privacy.

"Hey! What's all the racket down there!?" A voice boomed, disrupting Eriol's train of thought. 

"Oh, no! That's the guards!" Exclaimed Tae, scrambling to gather the leather flask and anything else of value. "If you care about the bones in your body, stay low. They're a nasty sort."

Eriol, though thoroughly confused, obliged, not that he could do anything else. Laying in his corner, he watched as the guards descended the stairs. They were menacing creatures, otherworldly, he would call them had their eyes not been human. Heavy built they were, with long bears down their front and small, hungry eyes. Clothed in heavy furs, they strode with an awkward confidence, occasionally juggling the manacles on their belts. Eriol could not help but suppress a shudder; they were not a pleasant sort, he would remember to stay out of their way. The two stopped in front of their cell, much to Tae's horror. The guards exchanged glances, muttering something in that strange language. 

"Well, then," began the headfirst of the two, his voice a guttural hiss. "What have ye been up to? Ye wouldn't be starting any trouble so soon, would ye? Will ye be needing to be taught how to behave?" The big man said this with a gleam in his buggy eyes and a toothless grin; Eriol suppressed yet another shudder. 

"Of course not!" Intervened Tae, scooting closer to Eriol's side. "He's just sick — No! Nothing serious, fever — very minor fever. In fact, he should be in perfect working condition by tomorrow morning. You're very busy, I'll bet, why don't you two nice gents get on our way? I'll stay with him and make sure he's in top shape! Good night, you nice, nice, gentlemen!" he said this with awe-like speed, saluting clumsily at the end. The bailiffs looked at him from above their pudgy noses, nostrils flaring and eyes blazing.

"Yer better not be causing no trouble; ye'll be sorry if ya do," the foremost said again, leering at the two. Muttering to one another, they turned and left, looking over their shoulders at the two boys. 

"Whew, that was close, ne? I thought they'd come in here fore sure," Tae said this with a definite relieved air and took out the ale flask again. Gesturing toward it he asked: "Do you want some? You sure could use it. No? Well, suit yourself." With that he took a long swing at the bitter liquid and was, for a time, silent. 

Eriol settled down on the hard floor, examining the patterns on the ceiling. He tried to fall asleep, to stop his mind from wandering, but for the first time that day, he could not loose himself in the bliss of slumber. He thought about Tomoyo and what she was doing at that point. Was she somewhere, in a cell similar to his, thinking about him as he was thinking of her? He vowed he'd find her, and his guardians, too, and then they'll be able to go home.

"Hey," began Tae from his position of the floor, "don't worry about it. I'm sure whatever it is, there's a way to solve it. Someone once told me that I needed patience to resolve my problems. And guess what I did? I laughed. Boy, was that funny or what? I don't have time to wait around for things to happen on their own, my schedule's busy as it is. Some things require just a little, itty-bitty push. Well, I thought, I have two hands and I certainly have the will, why not provide that push? It'll work out, I promise ya. But first we need to get out of this place, though. I'm too young for me to die in a yucky place like this. "

Eriol could tell Tae was mumbling senselessly, but it did not matter. At least he wasn't alone. Tae was right, he could do anything with just a little shove in the right direction. Everything would be alright, surely OK. With that thought, warm sleep claimed him, and for the first time that day, it was not a dark, painful void. 

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(1)"Kihae daae wha-aeah tahocfo hyu os?" — "Who do you think he is?" 

(2)"Eh sayugigiehri, O riyumfoaec." — "A beggar, I reckon"

(3)"Hyu saeriyu os mahtayu tahaeahgih." — "He sure is cute though" 

(4)"Kihwha ehriyu wha-aeah takiae hehripaoyus koaeotayuriocgi ehriaeahcda? Giyuta ehkiehwha sayufiraeriyu O tahriaeki wha-aeah sa-aetah taae tahyu paotas!" — "Why are you two harpies loitering around? Get away before I throw you both to the pits!" 

(5)"Hyuwha, wha-aeah.." — "Hey, you"

(6)"...Oh, wha-aeah da-aec'ta spayuehfo nwha koehcgiahehgiyu...." — "...Oh, you don't speak my language...."

(7)Pahcaoshyuris — Punishers

Ahhh...I've finally finished this chapter. So sorry I've been so late with it, I've been having some plot problems. But I have no intention of stopping this story, it has completely eaten me, it's too big to ignore now. Now all I have to do is finish that essay that is due tomorrow ;____; Aa, Tae, a long-term character, finally. Who can guess who Tae was based on? ^_______^ 


	16. Why?

A/N: I feel bad, like a failure, really. Nothing I want is going right and I'm getting myself further and further into a trap...Oh well, at least I'm not dead yet, which means that I can still continue this fic. If anybody is still reading this story 'o mine, enjoy ;____;

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****

Part V: Segregation: Why..? 

__

'Oh, God, what am I going to do?'

For the first time in her life, Tomoyo felt lost and helpless. Eriol was gone, the guardians, like herself, were captured. Their chances looked bleaker and bleaker, escape seemed almost impossible and so she looked onto the future (if there was any) with dismay. 

It was some time after the Doppelganger left her, and the knowledge that as time wore on something bad would happen pressed down on her, making her feel trapped and condemned. Tomoyo felt a fresh bash of tears sting at the corner of her eyes and she fought the temptation to break down. _'I must not cry. I must not! Eriol would not have liked to see me cry like a sissy, therefore I will not! What would he think if he saw me like this? What would he do?'_ she kept on saying to herself. It seemed to help for no wetness trailed down her cheek, only the lump in her throat making itself known.

There was a knot of something at the pit of her stomach, an almost nauseating sensation. Her chest hurt, making it difficult for her to breathe. She clutched at the front of her dress in the vicinity of her heart, trying to smooth out the dull ache there. _'Why does it hurt so much? What is wrong with me? Is this what true sorrow feels like?_' Tomoyo asked herself and scrunched into a tight ball. She wrapped her arms to cradle her quivering knees, resting her weary head on top of her folded hands. She did not cry, as promised, but that did not stop the small shake of her shoulders and quick, desperate intakes of air from escaping. 

She suddenly heard thundering sounds outside the heavy door, and, charged with momentary vigour and anger at her disposition, she grabbed a rust-encrusted candleholder for protection, uncoiling from the foetal position she was in. Tomoyo was expecting the creature to come back for her, to finish off the job and dispose of her as well. Scampering to the back of the room, farther into the oppressing darkness, she waited. She bit her lower lip and fought to slow down her rapid heartbeats, praying that the creature would not hear. Suddenly, the door was flung open and two struggling figures where thrown unceremoniously in. 

"What did you do that for, you... you monsters?!" Screeched Nakuru while stumbling to his feet. "You will never get away with this! I know some big-shot people out there, ya hear?! And if they find out how you've been treating poor, innocent me, why, you might as well kiss your butts bye-bye!"

"There is no need for you to yell, Ruby Moon," Spinel calmly intervened, "they're already gone."

"I know, I know, but what else is there?" He let the question trail, the answer practically hanging in the air. 

Tomoyo chose that moment to come out of her shadowed corner, pale and wide-eyed in the dark. Bringing a trembling hand to her mouth, she managed in a hoarse whisper: "He's really gone then..."

Nakuru looked at Tomoyo's seemingly small form and the obvious anguish painted on the girl's face. It suddenly dawned on him: his beloved Master was gone, and the realization brought forth with it a maelstrom of tears and sobs. The guardian rushed to the girl, crushing her in a tight embrace. Tomoyo just stood there, barely aware of feeling anything besides this ache in her chest, smoothing Nakuru's slightly shaking back, cooing softly. 

Tomoyo could feel the anger and pain radiate off the guardian, it was almost palpable. Glanced almost bitterly at the closed door, biting down the urge to do something explosive. Tomoyo had never before felt this much... emotion all at once. Not even when Sakura forever disappeared out of her grasp. Suddenly feeling so much made Tomoyo dizzy, light-headed and weak in the knees. She found herself sinking to the floor, still clutching the sobbing guardian in her embrace, not quite herself. She stroked Nakuru's hair and pressed her face into the flaming hair, where her own quiet sobs were stifled. 

The sobs eventually died down to hiccoughs, but Tomoyo continued to hold the shaking guardian, more for her own sake than anything else. It took time to calm the distraught guardian, after which the three clustered unconsciously together for comfort and consolation, not saying a word, just keeping to each other's raging thoughts.

"Can you sense Master at all?" Nakuru broke the silence after a long while – was is hours? Days? The truth hung in the air, but the trio still dared to hope. After all, the guardians were a living, breathing link to Eriol, their lives were intertwined; the two could not exist without their master, and they were as real at that moment as any. There was some fleeting, barely lingering hope in the back of Tomoyo's mind that maybe they would be psychically linked, that Eriol was alive after all. That would at least settle the hurt in her chest.

Spinel replied,"I can try; though I can't guarantee anything concrete."

Concentration laced over the small feline, buzzing from his large ears to the tips of his fur. The other two held their breaths, their posture taught, muscles clenched. After what seemed like too long, Spinel began to speak. "I can sense him–" Tomoyo visibly relaxed and Nakuru nearly whooped in sheer joy "– but barely. Master is weak, I can tell you that. His aura is very faint, as if something is blocking it. He's very far, miles, continents away, it seems."

"At least Master is still with us," Nakuru said, trying to force some cheer into his voice – and failing to do so. 

An uncomfortable silence reigned then. All knew that even though Eriol was alive and kicking, it did not solve their problems in the least. In the end, they were still held captive, miles away from their leader and friend, short on time and ultimately doomed. What to do with the time remaining, then? _'We cannot just give up. There must be something we can do. Some way out.'_ Tomoyo didn't know how, but she would find a way; he had to. For the moment, however, all she wanted was to close her eyes and escape to dreamless sleep, where visions of a tortured Eriol did not haunt her. She wanted to escape the guilt and the pain. 

"How about we rest on it and decide what to do from here later?" Spinel voiced her thoughts and she was grateful for that. 

"Yes, sleep, they say, is the best cure for anything," _'even heartache'_ Tomoyo added mentally.

The three settled down in their respective places, each lost in their own thoughts. It was not long before Tomoyo heard soft snoring coming from the two guardians. Despite the emptiness that besieged her heart, the girl smiled faintly, glad that at least she wasn't alone, and let the soft breathing lull her to a dull sleep. 

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"Everything isss ready, Master," the creature said into what appeared to be an empty basin. "Iss there anything Master wishess uss to do?" 

"No, that is enough," said "Master" replied from out of nowhere, his deep voice bouncing off the walls and echoing throughout the room. 

The boy had been rid off, "Master" was happy. He didn't even know why he despised the boy so much. Was it because of boy's connection to the girl? Or perhaps it had something to do with the magical power radiating off the boy. Maybe he was afraid of what that power could do to him. No! Master shook his head slightly with a grin. The boy would not be able to use that magic for very long. Oh, he knew that the boy was still alive, he had ordered it, after all, it wouldn't do to have murder of your hands. No, the boy was broken, weak, and soon, given the right repercussions, he would be no more. 

"I want you to return as soon as possible, and bring the girl with you. I want no harm done to her. Understood?" Master commanded his waiting servant. 

"Yes, Master! Anything to please Master!" The creature exclaimed eagerly. "What ssshall be done with her pestsss, Master?" 

The voice hesitated, plunging the room in eery silence. "She will be distraught, hysterical even, if they were to leave her. Bring the rats as well, to console her, but make sure to keep a close reign on them. Make sure that she is comfortable. I do not want her mutilated, you hear? I will not tolerate failure." He snarled the last part out and an uneasy shiver run down the creature's spine. 

________________________________*_____*_________________________________

A soft whimper woke Tomoyo up from a light daze. She sat on her knees, wincing slightly when the bones cracked, to discover the two sleeping figures beside her. Spinel was curled at Nakuru's side, his tail twitching slightly and whiskers quivering with every breath he took. Nakuru was lying in a foetal position, one arm enveloping the sleeping feline, the other being used as a makeshift pillow. Tomoyo found the sight endearing, and for a brief moment, for just a fraction of a second, she forgot that she was held against her will, that one of her closest friends was wounded and miles away, and that she was stranded in an apparently very hostile world. There existed only here and now, this moment, only her and the two slumbering guardians. 

The two were safe in each other's embrace, completely oblivious to the girl next to them. Once awake, she could not fall back to sleep and instead opted to just sit and listen for any alien noise. Tomoyo was afraid of the darkness and the things and thoughts it hindered, but she refused to wake the guardians – they deserved their rest. She understood their grief; after all, she, too, cared about Eriol. And it was she who was to blame for his plight. 

She began to softly hum to herself to pass the time. 

She stopped abruptly when she heard faint thudding noises in the hall. As quietly as a mouse, she moved to the door and pressed her ear to the heavy wood, holding her breath while doing so. Her fears had been confirmed when the noise got louder and considerably closer: someone – most likely the creature and his minions – was coming their way! Scrambling over to the two guardians, Tomoyo shook them awake urgently. 

"Wa- wuz goin' on?" Nakuru mumbled sleepily before he was dragged upright and to the darkest corner. 

The thud-thud grew louder and the three froze on their spot, breaths lodged in their throats. The moment was pierced by the sound of metal hinges grinding against each other, which seemed almost deafening to Tomoyo's ears. The door opened to grant access to the wane light and a quartet of hunched-over monsters. 

"What? You're not pleased with our captivity and want to torture us instead?" Snarled an irate Nakuru. 

The foremost of the four, whom Tomoyo recognized as the same creature that posed as their friend, pointed a calloused finger at her. "I wantss to speak with her."

"Not while there's still breath in my body, you won't!" Screeched Nakuru, taking a defensive position in front of Tomoyo. 

"That could be arranged," the creature hissed back, nodding to his three followers, who appeared even more menacing than they originally did. The creatures advanced toward the trio, claws and glinting teeth at ready.

"No!" Tomoyo exclaimed before the situation could really turn ugly. "What is it that you want to speak to me about that you can't say here?" 

The Doppelganger snarled at her, making her jump back in fight, before saying: "I wantss to speak to you only!" He gestured again to his thugs, commanding them to attack the three. 

"Wait! If I agree to talk to you, will you promise to not hurt them?" Tomoyo pleaded with the creature, a note of desperation evident in her voice. 

The creature huffed in return and motioned for his minions to withdraw. "Agreed."

Tomoyo followed him out of the chamber. Just before she exited the door, she heard Nakuru call out: "If that bastard does anything to you, holler and we'll come and save you! – Get away from us, you disgusting vermin!"

The girl glanced briefly at the two guardians, encouraged by their support – even though the chances of them succeeding were slim – and gave a tiny nod accompanied with a smile. She knew as well as they did that escape was almost impossible. It was the fact that they would gladly risk their lives for hers that made her feel better. 

The creature remained silent, Tomoyo following behind him, too afraid to say anything in return. Tomoyo was angry and scared. She wanted to both run far away and inflict heavy bodily damage on the creature. She was wary of what it wanted with her, so she kept her mouth shut and tried to blend in with the shadows. Tomoyo wondered where exactly he was leading her and why, unpleasing scenarios wafting into her mind. Soon, her question was answered for her. 

Stopping in front of a massive mahogany door, the monster fumbled for a rusty key on its person, finally coming up with one and opening the door. "Get in," it growled and pushed Tomoyo inside, coming in after her and closing the door. 

Tomoyo looked up from the floor where she fell, a look of hurt crossing her features. She landed in an awkward position, somehow managing to take the blunt of the fall with her right hand. A numbing sting was beginning to spread through the said wrist. _'I must've broken it...'_ she thought. 

"What do you want from me?" She demanded, a hurt note in her voice, rising slowly to her feet, making sure to use her uninjured hand for support. 

The creature looked at her and snorted, a guttural sound, like stones grinding together, or something foul frothing, and turned its back to her. "I wantss nothing to do with yeh."

"That can't be true! Otherwise you would let us go!" She exclaimed, her voice sounding too shrill to her ears. Exhaustion, pain and sorrow must have been getting to her. The Doppelganger remained silent. 

"Tell me, what you want from me?" Tomoyo could imagine herself sounding like a broken record, but at the moment she did not care. "Is it money? I have none. To torture me? I cannot imagine anything worse than you have already done to me. Do you want my body for your sick pleasure? You can have no part of me save my lifeless corpse!" She was getting hysterical now, she could tell. "My death? Is that it? You have already killed my spirit and crushed my heart; all that is left is my body!" 

"Enough!" The monster hollered, rounding on her. His nostrils (if they were nostrils) were flaring and his large, glassy looked crazed. Tomoyo felt herself shrink on her spot, knees shaking and throat dry. She berated herself mentally; she felt that she left the danger zone and was now staring into an open, hungry maw of even larger danger. "I shall have none of yer whining, wench!" 

Tomoyo backed against the wall, realizing too late that she was trapped. A choked sob escaped her lips before she could stifle it. She clutched her wrist closer to her chest, whimpering softly. The creature stared at her, pupils dilated, spittle dripping and craws clenching. Both stared at each other, Tomoyo too afraid to move or breathe, the creature very irate and at the point of almost throttling her. It was then that it remembered its Master's wishes, and a wide grin spread through its hideous visage. 

"My, my," the low hiss returned to the creature's voice as he began anew, "what iss wrong?" It stepped closer to her, its wrinkly, hairy knees brushing against Tomoyo's skirts. It was so close; the girl could smell its fetid breath and see the individual hairs on its forehead. She gulped and tried to become invisible, closing her eyes. Fear gripped her stomach, and is if empathic, the ghoul asked, "Are ye frightened? Of me?"

One slimy, calloused hand came to brush her cheek and she visibly cringed at the feel of it against her skin. Tomoyo could not open her eyes for the fear of seeing the glint in the Doppelganger's glare, neither could she stop her heart from hammering painfully against her rib cage. 

She felt something change in the touch on her cheek and risked stealing a peek. To her surprise, before her was not the hideous beast but the charming Goreneil with his sparkling eyes – though this time there was nothing tender in them – and friendly expression. 

"'Tis better?" He asked almost teasingly before smoothing the hairs off her forehead. "Wat iss there the be afraide ofe? Meh, yer friende?"

Tomoyo was so confused. She was looking into the eyes of her friend; he would do her no harm. Or was that just grief and fear talking? Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she managed to say, "If you are truly my friend, then let me go."

A smirk crossed the man's features, though it appeared to Tomoyo a grotesque contortion of a leer. "Ah cannote doo that, girlie. Wut would ye doo all alone out there? Yeh are mi guest, Ah hafe tu be considerate of yer... needs."

Something in his voice struck a chord within her, and she fought to regain control on her senses, trying to calm the pulsing pain in her heart and head. "Why?" She breathed out the word. It was strained and barely audible. 

"Ah'm trying ter help ye, lass. Yer tired an' sicke. Yer need reste and...." 

"No! Get away from me, you monster!" 

"Monster? Whom are you calling a monster?" 

Startled, Tomoyo looked up and nearly broke down in tears. Before her was Eriol, unscathed and seeming his effervescent self, grinning at her teasingly. Everything that happened seemed like a bad dream, and now she finally awoke to reality. The hand on her cheek was warm and soft, not callous and hairy and his eyes were the same humble sapphire pools. 

"Oh, Eriol-kun!" She threw her uninjured arm around him, holding on to him tightly, muffled sobs escaping her lips. She clung to him, as if to a lifeline, savouring his protective embrace, afraid to let go lest he disappear again. 

"Shh," he cooed, caressing her back in a soothing fashion. "What had upset you so, dear?"

"Oh, it was horrible! We were captured, and then you were hurt. Oh, Eriol! I thought you died. You seemed so lifeless, I swear I could see death upon you. And then they took you away and I was all alone...."

"Is that all?" He whispered softly, stoking her hair. "Just a silly nightmare?"

Tomoyo could barely manage a half-hearted nod against his chest. She was safe. In Eriol's embrace, she was protected, impenetrable. From here, everything that she thought and did seemed almost ridiculous. If she wasn't in so much pain, she would have laughed. But her head was swimming, and she felt weak. It was only Eriol's hand on her back that kept her upright. 

"It's all right. I'm here; I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered into her hair, a smile in his voice. "Come, lie down. You're sick and need rest."

Tomoyo looked up from where her head was nestled in his chest. She reached out an unsteady hand to his face, brushing against his cheek softly. His eyes were the same, so was the soft smile on his lips. So why did this feel so wrong, she wondered. The hand on her back became more urgent, pushing her to the bed not far off. 

"Eriol?" She breathed out, still looking into his eyes. 

"Shh, darling. It's me. I'm here."

Despite his soothing words, the nervous ball in her stomach refused to abate. A thought stuck her. If everything that happened was a dream, then why was her wrist hurting? Why was she out of bed and in regular clothes? Why was Eriol in the same room as her? 

"Why are you here?" She asked softly while being guided underneath the cold comforters. 

"I heard you calling from my room," he answered, pulling the blanket over her. 

__

'But, his room is all the way across the hall,' Tomoyo thought, frightened. This did not seem right. It was fake, traitorous. She was sleepy, dizzy, but the light pat on her knee through the blankets was making her feel edgy. 

"You are not him, are you?" She whispered, weak and drowsy. "You are not Eriol."

Eriol blanched and for a moment Tomoyo thought she had offended him. Then his face began to shift before her eyes. She was no longer looking into Eriol's warm sapphire gaze, but large, hideous eyes. A wicked grin and sharp teeth replaced the teasing smile. Tomoyo had been fooled by the creature once more. She felt bitterness settle in her stomach, along with anger and hatred. She could do nothing, however, as she was overcome with almost feverish sleepiness. _'What is wrong with me?'_ she thought. She could not remember feeling this sick a couple of moments ago. 

"Why are you doing this to me?" She managed meekly, her voice sounding too weak to her ears. This last hallucination had been too much for her, too painful to bear. There were tears in her eyes but she couldn't find the strength to wipe them away. _'I'm sorry I broke my promise to you, Eriol,'_ she thought. 

Perhaps it was the desperation in her voice or the fear in her eyes, but the creature replied, "Becaussse I have no choice. I have to."

It seemed like a century later that Tomoyo was seeing the Doppelganger's retreating form. His movements seemed slow, strained, but that could have been the dizziness spell playing with her senses. For a second there, she could almost swear she heard pity and sorrow in the monster's reply. 

"Thiss iss where ye'll be staying from now on." Was the last thing she heard before the door was closed with a 'thud' and a mechanical click of the lock. Tomoyo stared into the darkness of the room for a while – it might have been minutes or seconds, she could not tell– before tiredness conquered over her. _'Where are you, Eriol?'_ was her last conscious thought. 

(tbc)

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Sorry for the *kofflongkoff* delay. I had to sort out a lot of plot problems. Also, I had quite a large author's block concerning this fic. Gomen nasai!! (not that there is anybody who would actually mind, considering that there is no one reading...) 


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